Cujo IV - The Fence Rabbit Rises
by Gone2Far
Summary: Chapter 12 now up.
1. The Visitors

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 1 – The Visitors

**Here we go again. Thanks to the miracles of fan fiction, this takes place when all SO's, wives and etcetera are still present and among the living. References to events and characters in previous outings but I don't think it's necessary to read them first. I hope you enjoy it and that you'll let me know what you think.**

**Imaginary Beta has done her usual none too accurate job. If you spot anything that needs correcting please let me know.**

**Disclaimer: Once more putting out words for absolutely no monetary return though in my dreams they've earned me a trip to a magical place where two incredibly attractive men await and . . . oh yeah . . . I look like Angelina Jolie.**

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Armed and ready for combat, he moved stealthily from behind the box to creep forward. This was going to be an easy take-down. His target stood with his back to him peering at something on the other side of the room and had no idea what was coming. It had been a long wait but patience was one of his many talents . . . that and being able to twist his body into impossible positions.

"Hey! Knock it off dammit! No warfare in the office! I thought we had a deal!"

_Rats!_

Barely managing not to launch himself upward in startled surprise, the little cat squawked in annoyance then sat as if he'd planned on doing so all along. If cats could roll their eyes, he would have done it. As the man who'd interrupted his attack approached, Cujo twitched his tail, chirped, and then walked off in a feline huff.

David Matsui whirled to face his rescuer, one Detective Danny Williams, and chuckled, "Was I almost part of your puma's lunch menu?" he asked as the small grey cat trotted off down the hallway that branched off the main office where they stood.

"Hey, don't imply that rabid wolverine is mine; he's McGarrett's alter ego. Other than maintaining a fragile truce, I have nothing to do with the little shithead's campaign to obliterate humankind."

Dave laughed at the indignant avowal of non-ownership. "Well, thanks for the rescue. I just got these new socks and don't want holes in them yet, not to mention holes in my ankles."

The Governor's aide pulled up his pant leg to display his pricey argyles for the detective to admire. He knew that Williams was one of the few people on the island other than Governor Denning who appreciated high-end men's fashion.

"Nice." said Danny admiringly as he gazed at the knitted marvels. He'd always liked Dave's sense of style. The man knew how to coordinate a decent wardrobe, (unlike someone he knows who buys his eight in a pack at Walmart). The tie-wearing detective considered it downright depressing to live on an island whose population thought the donning of shoes and socks was to be saved for formal occasions.

"Yeah, Warren gave 'em to me for our anniversary . . . among other things." he said with what the blonde thought could be a suggestive smile.

"Don't even go there! What is it with you people?" he exclaimed gesturing toward Steve's office where, through the glass, they could see Five-0's leader standing face to face with his not-my-girlfriend Lt. Catherine Rollins. She'd stopped by on her way to Pearl to see her not-my-boyfriend even though they'd no doubt been in each other's company only hours earlier. The two appeared to be engaged in staring soulfully into each other's eyes which was within their self-imposed limits of PDA in the workplace.

"You guys seem to think I'm interested in hearing about your love lives. Believe me, I'm not."

"Danny!" admonished Dave with twinkling eyes, "I was just going to say that he also gave me a very handsome Hugo Boss shirt and a very nice coordinating tie. Get your mind out of the gutter."

As a suspicious flush crept over the blonde's face he snorted and said, "Well, at least your husband has an excellent sense of style."

Steve's door had opened a moment earlier and a camo clad Catherine made her departure with a quick wave and smile toward the two men standing in the outer office. Steve stood watching her jog toward the exit before turning toward them.

"Who's Hugo Boss?" he asked as he came to stand before them arms crossed over chest in typical pose. "And why is Danny's mind in the gutter . . . again?"

"Don't answer him Dave." said Danny rolling his eyes, "Unless Hugo Boss has a line of designer holsters and ammo belts, the information will be lost on the Neanderthal anyway."

"Hey, Steve." greeted the Governor's aide. "I was just dropping off that information on Denning's pet case."

"Thanks for bringing it over." said Steve as he took the file from Matsui's hand and opened the manila folder. With a frown he paged briefly through the information therein then snorted almost dismissively before he closed it and tucked it under his arm. "Haven't had much of a chance to talk to you or your partner . . . err husband," he corrected, "in the last few months. How's married life agreeing with you guys? I've only seen the lieutenant once or twice since the wedding and we didn't really have time to talk."

"Actually, Warren's been on deployment for the last three months. He just got back last week and we're just settling back into domesticity. As I was telling Danny, we just celebrated our six-month anniversary."

"Congratulations." smiled Steve, "When this case is over and done with we'll invite the whole gang for a case-closed barbeque. I'm looking forward to seeing him again he's a great guy."

"He always had the best to say about you too Steve. Again, I can't thank you enough for introducing us to each other." replied Matsui

Just then Cujo who'd been off somewhere unseen, thundered past at a velocity that would seem to indicate his tail was on fire.

"DORIS." knowingly announced both Steve and Danny as the three men watched the little cat streak away across the granite floor; losing traction while rounding a corner and caroming off a door frame before disappearing from view.

"So, you want me to relay any encouraging message to the boss?" asked Dave as he spied the woman he knew to be McGarrett's mother pulling open the heavy glass door and approaching across the tile; the tall woman's heels clicking loudly on its surface.

"Pretty much just the standard patter I'm afraid. Just tell him we've made the case our priority and when anything new comes up he'll be the first one notified." said Steve as he turned toward the woman approaching them.

"Will do." said Matsui as he smiled toward Doris while nodding in greeting, "Mrs. McGarrett."

She smiled in return then stopped in front of her son to give him a quick peck on the cheek. This display of motherly affection was a bit startling to Matsui. Rather than having been born from the middle of a fiery volcano or, at the very least, birthed by a grizzly, to see the fierce SEAL with his real life flesh-and-blood mommy was just so . . . normal.

"Nice to see you again Doris." said Danny just a bit tightly before gesturing toward his office, "Gotta go write up that report before your son cracks the whip. I'll leave you kids alone." He had no intention of engaging in conversation with the woman who at best annoyed the crap out of him and at worst, mother or not, was absolute poison to his partner. "See ya later Dave." he called over his shoulder as he walked away.

Matsui a bit surprised at the blonde's sudden departure, caught the tense expression as he walked by him on the way toward his office. Apparently, the detective wasn't all that pleased to have his friend's mother present. _Hmm._

The Governor's aide excused himself to get back to work as well. Nodding and smiling to each in turn he said "Steve, Ma'am, I also have to get back to work before the Governor sends someone to look for me. It seems he doesn't understand the need to actually get out of the office to see the sun every once in a while and, you know, speak face to face with other human beings."_ (Especially such attractive ones), _mentally added Matsui. He'd long admired the Commander from afar – but that was before he'd been introduced to Warren. It was all history now.

"Do you need a note from your teacher?" teased Doris

"Maybe that and a laminated hall-pass." laughed the handsome aide as he backed a couple steps toward the exit before giving a sloppy salute and turning to walk toward it.

Turning with a frown to address the woman standing next to him, "What's going on?" asked Steve puzzled as to why his mother would be making an appearance in the middle of the day or you know, at all.

"Can't I just come by to visit my son?"

…..

As the afternoon wore on and paperwork had been completed it was still a couple hours before the official end of their workday. Nothing new had been discovered on the case referred to them by the Governor. Chin and Kono had checked-in an hour ago to say they were still pursuing that lead on the North Shore but had so far discovered nothing of any relevance.

During their last phone conversation Kono had asked, "Boss, if there's no reason for us to return to H.Q. before quitting time, you mind if we just go home from here?" Steve acquiesced. Everything was quiet and no new cases were in the pipeline so there was no reason to even bother to return to the office. He told her they were free to go home for the day if there was nothing more to discover at their current location.

He smiled at her response. She'd enthusiastically replied there was time to catch a few waves before dinner and maybe she could talk Chin into it as well.

Soon as he'd ended the call, Five-0's leader texted his second-in-command to tell him whenever he finishes that last small bit of paperwork on his desk, he was free to go home as well. Even though Danny's office was only a few feet from his own, he didn't feel like talking right now. Steve was certain the sometimes annoyingly observant man had noticed he'd been sitting in his office since Doris had left and other than to let the cat in or out hadn't even opened the door for hours. Danny would have too many questions. He wanted to head them off by not actually speaking to him in person but the vain hope was soon dashed.

"Well, it was worth a try." he said tiredly to the cat who drowsily blinked yellow eyes in response before answering with a sleepy chirp and a yawn. He turned his head toward the man he could now see was approaching the door.

His human had said something and it wasn't 'Are you hungry?' or 'Do you want to go outside?' He didn't know what it meant but felt the need to answer back. Humans were confusing sometimes and the tall man did not sound happy. Maybe a game of chase would make him happy? The little cat considered getting up from his comfy bed in the wire box. _Maybe later._ There was a nap to get back to.

…..

Danny had heard the tone that signaled an incoming text and picked his cell up from where it sat next to the laptop. He frowned when he noted its originator. He could see Steve's office from his own and saw his partner hunched over his own laptop and ignoring him. Their leader had been quiet all day . . . quiet for even him . . . and hadn't set foot out of his office for several hours. He knew there must be something weighing on the SEAL's mind. If the stubborn man wouldn't come to him, he was prepared to make a visit to the glass-walled space that had been zipped-up like Granny Galluzzi's girdle since Doris had left. The detective was very much aware the texted message meant his friend wasn't in the mood for conversation but that had never stopped him before.

Five minutes later, Danny affixed his signature to the last form and stapled the sheet to the others to toss into the out-basket. Yawning, he picked up his coffee cup before his OCD boss could say something about leaving a dirty mug on his desk, (and he _would_ bitch), the detective went toward the break-room to wash it out before packing up for the day.

Having to pass Steve's office on the way, he knocked and then without waiting for a response, pushed open the door. His partner now sat staring vacantly out the window; a pile of forms still sitting in the middle of his blotter and rather than completed paperwork there was a small lump of fur lying in the wire out-basket on the corner of his desk.

"Hey Rambo" he greeted as he leaned against the doorframe. The cat woke and blinked up at him before yawning mightily; displaying needle sharp fangs – the ones that in the past had too often been put to use on his own flesh.

"Hey Danny. You headin' out? Not much reason to stick around. Chin and Kono are just going to go home from where they've been for most of the day on the North Shore."

"Yup, I'm taking you up on your generous texted offer to get out of here a little earlier than usual. My butt fell asleep hours ago and if I never see another friggin' form, I'll be a happy man, or certainly a man without writer's cramp."

Steve smiled, "I thought you were the one who was on my case about filling out the forms electronically instead of doing them by hand?"

"Yeah, I had this wild and completely irrational thought that maybe, since you were having such a hard time sitting there with pen and paper long enough to actually complete your paperwork, it would be faster if you just did it on the computer and you wouldn't have to be cooped-up for quite so long which means you'd have no excuse to wander off or, you know, go up in a puff of smoke or something."

"You know, I still have no idea how you can get out so many words without taking a breath." Steve held up his hand to prevent Danny's protest, "But, as far as doing this stuff on the computer, it only makes me want to throw the laptop out the window instead of a pen."

Danny abandoned his retort to the implication of long-windedness to say, "Yeah, well, I still have hope for you Steven. Despite your industrial strength ADD, you somehow managed to get an education and then made it all the way to SEAL school so I know you can do it."

Steve only gave him a mildly annoyed look as though his heart wasn't really in it before he shifted a little uncomfortably in his chair. Either his posterior had fallen asleep as well or the SEAL was preparing to say something about which he was maybe having second thoughts. Danny could easily read the signs.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Do think you're much like your parents?"

Slightly taken aback by the strange and out-of-context question, the detective answered it anyway, "Yeah, I guess. You've met them. I've got my dad's coloring and my mom's temperament; unfortunately her height too but no cracks okay."

"Yeah, I guess you do look like your dad." muttered Steve almost to himself; not even acknowledging Danny's warning about height jokes.

"Yes, I guess I do . . . where's this question going if I may ask or, you know, where did it come from?" inquired Danny as he set down his cup and then parked his now recovered posterior on the corner of Steve's desk.

"It's just a question. It's not going anywhere." was the subdued response.

"Really Steven? I know that you, of all people, don't just ask random questions without there being a reason behind it."

"Like I said, just a question. No particular reason for asking it. I'm just bored I guess. It really is time to get outta here."

"Uh huh." said the detective knowing his partner was just blowing smoke. He'd let it slide for now but wasn't going to forget the strange inquiry. McGarrett almost never talked just to talk but when the man didn't elaborate, he decided not to push it. Eventually it would come out. Though not many would even suspect, the Jersey detective could be extremely patient when called for.

Cujo rose from where he'd taken up residence in his human's out-basket to lazily stretch then wander across the top of the large desk to where Danny sat. The two had finally come to a peaceful accord and the little cat now almost regularly sought out his former adversary for strokes and ear scratches.

_The loud man's scratches are almost as good as my human's but not quite, _thought the cat, _he needs more training._

"You know," smiled Steve at the display before him, "If you keep petting Cujo and he keeps purring while you do it, some people are going to think you guys actually like each other."

"They can think what they want, Cat Lady, but your buzzsaw is just biding his time until the cease fire is over and I know it." said the detective as he nevertheless ran his hand across the glossy coat and then provided the requested ear scratch as a rumbling purr emanated from the contented animal.

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**Tried mightily to complete this before beginning to post but have come to the alarming and depressing conclusion that I need the stress of a deadline to get off my lazy butt. Your input as to what you'd like to include in this story would be most welcome. What do you think of Cujo finding his own not-my-girlfriend in this one?**


	2. Wet

Cujo IV The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 2 – Wet

**This one's a bit shorter than usual. Kind of rushed it to get something out there. May sneak back to refine it a bit. If you see something that doesn't make sense let me know.**

**Imaginary Beta is distracted by RL right now so I can't really kick her butt for being lax.**

**Disclaimer: Still not making any money from this and write for my own amusement and hopefully for yours as well.**

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"Okay, what about 'wet paint' don't you get?" asked Danny as he surveyed his partner.

Steve, snapping cuffs around the wrist of his captive, looked down at himself and frowned.

"Shit!" he muttered as Officer Kiliona came forward to begin to read the perp his rights knowing that Five-0's leader could be kind of hit and miss on that sort of thing. It couldn't hurt to hear it twice.

"Dammit!" said Steve as he realized his formerly solid black cargos and T-shirt were now two-toned in a combination reminiscent of a fifties diner. Looking further downward, he saw his boots were also similarly transformed. "Shit!" he said even louder.

"I think you've already used up your uniform replacement allowance for this month babe." stated Danny who desperately wanted to laugh. "Lucky for you though, at least half of your uniform can be bought in bulk for eleven dollars a package.

"Come on. Just drive me back to the office." snapped Steve as though chasing a suspect through a paint store then tackling said suspect and crashing into an in-progress demonstration of how to decorate with the newest shades was all his partner's fault. It might not even have been that bad had they not also crashed into that wall of stacked paint cans as DIY customers ran screaming from the demo area.

"No, no. You are not getting into my car with all that on you! It's bad enough when you manage to cover yourself in mud and blood on a much too regular basis then try to get all comfy on my upholstery but uhh uhh; I have to draw the line somewhere. Though Grace loves that shade, having my seats covered in it isn't something to which I aspire."

"Danny!" practically whined the tall, tattooed, BAMF SEAL now covered in Martha Stewart designer interior semi-gloss shade number 354.

"Don't even try Rambo. You are not getting into my car while dripping a totally unmanly shade of Barbie pink. I'll NEVER get it out of my upholstery."

"But it's latex. It's water based!" tried Steve nonetheless

"You know, you're whinier than an entire car full of girls. And, because some of them can be covered in whatever has been foisted upon children too young to know better; I vacuumed up the last of the glitter just yesterday. It looked like a friggin' unicorn exploded on my back seat! At least that stuff can eventually be vacuumed up, but wet paint?"

McGarrett temporarily lost his distressed look to glance upward with a smirk. "I'd always thought maybe all that glitter was just evidence of some sort of secret life you didn't want anyone to know about."

"All right, that's it smartass." huffed Danny before he turned toward Officer Miko Kiliona to say, "Hey, Miko, when you transport our perp for booking, can you drop off Commander Barbie on your way? I trust you have a tarp for the seat of the squad? Actually you're gonna need several, they're both a mess."

Kiliona glanced doubtfully at the annoyed looking and paint-covered Five-0 leader before his gaze shifted to the similarly paint dripping man cuffed to a lighting stanchion on the walkway next to them. "Commander McGarrett? Would you like a ride to your headquarters?" he asked as the now chuckling detective, hopped over the wide, multi-colored, ribbon of paint that still streamed sluggishly out the door of the storefront.

Danny rummaged in the trunk of the Camaro then returned to toss a yellow plastic tarp at his partner – the kind usually used to cover cadavers at crime and accident scenes.

"Meet you there Princess." he smiled as McGarrett caught the covering and glared back at him.

Patrolman Miko Kiliona tried his best not to laugh. Really he did.

…

His human didn't want to play. No matter how much he purred and rubbed against him while the man stared at the flat lighted thing that would sometimes have tiny humans moving across it, he wouldn't pay any attention to him. Deciding to do something he knew would elicit a reaction, the little cat leapt onto the part of the flat thing his human's paws had been so fascinatingly tapping on and plopped down.

"Dammit cat!" he heard the tall man exclaim right before he was plucked up and unceremoniously set outside the door and then the door was closed so that he couldn't get back inside.

_Hmmf._

"Hey popoki, the boss throw you out?" asked the female who smelled like sand and water. She bent down to pick him up and scratch behind his ears. He purred in appreciation. At least someone was paying attention to him. "Poor baby." he heard then Water Woman set him down and walked off.

Oh well, he'd continue his stake-out in the hallway. There were no mouses or lizards to chase right now. Maybe he'd eaten them all. For the meantime he'd sit here. His human had to open the door sometime. If he was lucky, he would dash past him before he was caught. It was easy to get by the others but his human was fast.

Eventually, the man covered in flower cloth came up to him. "So, you've gotten yourself eighty-sixed again huh?" he asked, "You pee on Danny's desk or did you chew up someone's laptop charger wires . . . again? It's a wonder you haven't electrocuted yourself doing that kinda stuff." Then Flower Cloth Man bent down to briefly scratch him behind the ears before walking away.

There were familiar footsteps approaching. The one who made them was no threat so he didn't take his gaze away from the door. "So," said the Loud Man, "He finally threw your mangy little ass out huh?"

After looking around to see if anyone was watching him he bent down and the little cat felt a gentle hand run from the top of his head to the end of his tail. "Don't worry, you'll worm your way back in. The man's a sucker." With that, the Loud Man straightened up to his very tall human height and walked off.

Cujo continued to keep his hopeful vigil outside his chosen human's doorway.

…

"Joe, give me a call when you get this." he said when voice mail picked up. It was the fourth call without any response. Joe was being elusive . . . unfortunately not all that uncommon. He swore as he set his phone back onto his desk noting he hadn't gotten out all that pink from around his cuticles. It had taken what seemed hours of scrubbing to get the supposedly 'simple water clean-up' latex paint off of him. To say it had put him in a bad mood was an understatement . . . and he was pretty sure that Danny had taken pictures of it.

Those unanswered phone calls to Joe White weren't helping either but McGarrett didn't really think he'd get any information from his mentor. Joe had been protecting Doris for years. It had always been in Steve's mind that his former C.O. was possibly more than just a 'protector' to John McGarrett's wife but they were adults who made their own wise or unwise decisions. If his mother had been unfaithful to her husband, of course he'd be disappointed and feel bad for his father but he was certainly no expert on the subject of marriages good or bad; having never been married.

Actually, he'd only just admitted to himself that Cath meant more to him than just 'friends with benefits' as Danny had long called them – mostly just to be annoying. He had yet to tell Cath he loved her though he hoped through his actions she'd already figured it out.

He knew very well he had issues. Never wanting to become so involved in a relationship that he'd put himself in danger of once again experiencing the pain of abandonment he'd kept his heart to himself . . . or thought he had. Putting himself out there in the turkey-shoot of emotional entanglement had long terrified him but, slowly, it had happened. Cath had long ago gotten around his barriers and since he'd come back to the islands he'd become far too enmeshed with his Five-0 family. Any one of them could potentially cause him great distress if they took a notion to do so. He was confident they'd never intentionally hurt him but, at the same time, he knew it hadn't been wise to become so attached. He was totally annoyed with himself for letting it happen.

He sighed as he stared out at the ominous sky waiting outside his window. There was a storm coming and it would probably interfere with his travel plans.

Going back to the pile of paperwork on his desk, he sorted through the various bits of info they'd gathered on Denning's case. It seems an old friend of the Governor's had become victim of blackmail . . . something about a past indiscretion. He hated crap like this. People did all sorts of stupid things to get themselves into these situations then expected someone else to come in and make it all go away. This especially seemed true of people with money and influence though certainly it made no sense to blackmail a person who had neither funds nor power.

He tried but couldn't keep his mind on the task at hand. It kept straying back to his own investigation and the disappointment in himself for not keeping his distance from his team. Still, it was more than could be said of his attitude toward the woman who called herself his mother. She was a piece of work.

There was a quick knock on his door and he looked up to see Danny entering as Cujo dashed in under his feet.

"Steve, we've got a lead on Denning's case. Chin and Kono turned up a name. I think we need to get a move on."

….

Stake-outs were always boring but this one would make watching televised golf seem exciting by comparison. The small office building that was home to Hono Electronics is as nondescript as they come. Even the people who'd entered and exited the two-story structure throughout the long day had been bland and unmemorable. Tommy Ikura had yet to make his re-appearance since entering his workplace at a little before eight A.M. It was nearing time for the workday to end and traffic had already begun ramping up for rush-hour. The sound of cars rolling across the wet asphalt was becoming a steady swish. Rain had been falling on and off all day and, right now, it was on again.

They'd taken over their shift from Chin and Kono who'd gotten the seven A.M. to noon gig. Now, after nearly three and a half hours trapped in a car, even if it a very nice one, it was wearing on its two occupants.

The call of nature was beginning to make itself known and Danny cursed his consumption of that venti sized cappuccino he'd given in to at the start of their shift. Ever since the Macchiato Murder case last year he'd been hooked on the damned things.

"Sunny Paradise, huh?' muttered Danny as he squirmed and dismally surveyed the wet landscape.

"What?" asked Steve only marginally distracted from his thoughts.

"If I wanted to spend this much time in the rain, I could'a just stayed in Jersey."

"Oh, come on. If the sun was shining you'd be bitching just as much."

"Look, Rambo, I know you are not only a sun worshiper but also seem to welcome any opportunity to go splash around in big puddles like a six-year-old. I, on the other hand, think that blistering heat followed by monsoons are not what God intended for this Jersey native who is only reluctantly living on this pile of cooled lava."

"Yeah, but you had a lot more than just sun and rain to contend with there. You forget about having to get up an hour early to dig your car outta the snow so you can get to work? I remember you bitching about that too. Besides, you have me to keep you company here which makes it so much more entertaining." smiled Steve as his eyes remained fastened on the doorway half a block down.

"Yeah, explosions, car chases and fire fights can be distracting but not if I'm in the middle of them with a crazed moron who thinks they're more fun than the teacup ride at Disneyland."

"Seriously? The teacup ride?"

Danny didn't have time to reply as, suddenly, the man they'd long awaited appeared through the doorway. As rain dashed against the windshield, the water-blurred image of their suspect was almost hard to make out but there was no mistaking who'd emerged onto the sidewalk.

"Finally!" said Danny as they watched the wiry local walk quickly away from them toward where he'd parked his car. If coyotes took human form, this guy was definitely part of the pack. Even his stride had that wary tail-tucked slink to it. But like the aforementioned animal, Ikura also possessed the wiliest of survival instincts. Just as he was about to enter his old rattletrap, hand on open door while the other shielded his eyes from the downpour, he looked up and directly at them. Something clicked in his canid brain as his expression became one of cartoonlike surprise right before he whirled and ran.

"Shit!" said Steve already a step onto the sidewalk after launching himself out of the car.

"Of course the jerk would make us chase him in the middle of a friggin' monsoon!" muttered Danny, disgust in his voice as he threw open the passenger door to also give chase.

Danny knew he couldn't keep Steve from coursing after the bad guys like a greyhound after a rabbit. It was instinct with his partner: people ran - he chased them. The trouble was that Steve was fast. Far faster than anyone else on his team; and if the bad guy was also fleet of foot then SEAL and prey would be out of sight in a matter of moments.

Still swearing, the detective sprinted after the disappearing form of his partner and their suspect. Splashing noisily through pools on the concrete as more water assailed him with the force of a garden hose, he tried hopelessly to blink it from his eyes. He caught a glimpse of Steve's dark cargoes disappearing around a corner and the detective ran with all his might to catch up.

Even through the sound of pelting rain he heard the squeal of tires and the sound of an impact . . . then a scream.

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**I know, another evil cliffie. Would love to hear what you think of this so far.**

**PS – Not to be a downer but must sadly tell you guys that one of the ninja cats has gone to the big catnip patch in the sky. She was always so deviously clever at escaping but could not escape old age. Her name was Lizzy and she will be missed by husband and me and her companion.**


	3. Conflicted

Cujo IV - The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 3

**Okay, here's another. It's maybe a bit short but I hope you find it interesting. Thank you for the comments, follows and favorites on the previous chapter. I hope you know they help keep the momentum going.**

**Imaginary Beta is back at work but don't expect any more than usual from her. She does her best but still can't be trusted to catch all the goofs.**

**Disclaimer: If I made money from this I'd be on the next plane to Hawaii. Sadly, no one will be getting any postcards from paradise just yet.**

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Conflicted

"What's your name?" asked the paramedic whose question was punctuated by the crackle of wrappers in process of being torn off of needles, syringes and tubing. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Tell us your name please." cajoled another stranger's voice as what had to be an eight-hundred megawatt penlight was shone into pupils behind the first pried open eyelid then the other.

"Stee . . . Steve . . . " he answered trying to turn away from the annoying light but the medic's grip on his chin was not letting it happen. He clamped his eyes shut against the painful intrusion just in case they wanted to make it a regular thing.

_Why do I feel like I've been hit by a truck?_ he wondered without voicing it.

"Okay Steve, that's good. Hold still for a bit. We're just gonna get a pressure on you."

Reading the gauge, the Hawaiian frowned and made notes on the clipboard next to him before asking, "Now, can you tell me your last name Steve?"

"McGarr't" he managed to croak out; still keeping his eyes tightly closed in case they decided to torture him with the penlight again. He didn't trust that they wouldn't.

"Do you know where you are?" asked another voice, "Open your eyes for us now. Can you tell us where you are?"

_Boy, they really aren't going to give me a break are they?_ thought the man lying on what he perceived as a wet, gritty surface while more water splatted onto his face.

It wasn't as easy as it should have been but he reluctantly blinked his eyes open and through his blurry gaze recognized nothing familiar_. Well, okay, flashing emergency lights and uniforms aren't all that unfamiliar but where the hell am I?._

"Do you know where you are?" again asked that nagging voice.

_Okay now they're just mocking me with the damned questions._ He felt something cold on the inside of his elbow and then the bite of a needle.

Waiting for an answer, Tim Tanaka looked expectantly down at his patient who gazed back at him with a look of dazed uncertainty before beginning to struggle to sit up. Two sets of hands held him down to keep him from doing so. "Just stay still for now Commander McGarrett. We're going to transport you so you can get checked over a bit more thoroughly. Nothing looks too bad but you have to let us help you."

After a bit of ineffective flailing Steve gave up his attempt to sit. Everything was now spinning; sky and ground swapped places at alarming speed. He looked confusedly up at the paramedic before hazel blue eyes rolled back and his lean body went completely slack against the tarmac.

"Crap!" softly exclaimed the man who had treated this patient at other times over the last couple of years . . . several other times.

"What's happened!?" asked/demanded Danny who'd been standing tensely but quietly off to the side watching every move.

"He's out again." answered Tanaka who then turned to the other medic and ordered, "Let's finish getting that line in and get the collar on so we can get going."

"How bad is it? Is he gonna be okay?" came the worried inquiry from the detective crowding closer to peer down at his battered friend.

Jerri Benoit, the younger and female half of the medical duo answered, "His pupils are pretty sluggish and not completely equal. With a head injury there's nothing we can give him until he's evaluated at the hospital. They're gonna want an MRI for sure."

"You know how concussions work Danny. Didn't you go through that a few months ago?" asked Tanaka, attempting to distract and somehow lessen the anxiety of the man who hovered over them and their once again unconscious patient.

"I only got whacked on the head with a two-by-four." snapped Danny, "I didn't get hit by a friggin' beer truck."

"I'm sorry we can't tell you anything more. His vitals are stable enough for now. Soon as we get him to Queens and they do some tests, they can give you more detailed information." tried EMT Benoit hoping to mollify the worried cop.

As Steve began to stir once again they were almost ready to transport. "Stay still Commander, we're almost ready to go." ordered Tanaka. "Danny, can you please help hold him still so we can get this C-collar on him before we lift him onto the gurney?"

The detective immediately kneeled on the wet asphalt to help hold down his now groaning and squirming partner while one EMT held his head still and the other began to carefully secure the collar around Steve's neck.

"Steve! Steven! Hold still dammit so these people can help you. Don't pull your usual shit and make this harder than it has to be!" reprimanded the very worried Detective. "God knows what you've done to yourself to this time."

Breaking the rules, Tanaka took pity on the partner of his patient. "Danny, my prediction, off the record of course, is that the Commander is gonna have a hell of a headache and be really, really sore for a while but eventually he'll be okay. His vitals aren't all that bad considering what happened but the best we can do for him at this moment is patch up the scrapes a bit and transport. Steve is a candidate for a full body scan along with the MRI. I didn't find any breaks but without x-rays there's always the possibility of hidden fractures. In any case, he's gonna be hurting when he wakes."

The road rash on hands and arms had been irrigated with saline and loosely bandaged for the moment and an oxygen mask fastened over nose and mouth. The paramedics with Danny's assistance carefully lifted the injured man onto the transport gurney. Steve groaned during the process but didn't regain full consciousness.

The detective's face was the very picture of conflict as he ran his hands through his hair and bit his lips trying to decide if he should abandon the scene and let HPD figure it out for themselves or stick around to catch them up on what had happened. This time police work won out.

Placing the oxygen tank on the gurney with their patient, the EMTs wheeled McGarrett to the back of the ambulance and efficiently slid the cot into the tracks fastened to the floor.

"You coming with?" asked Benoit as she locked down the gurney so it wouldn't shift during the trip to the hospital, "We gotta roll."

Danny, in an annoyed tone responded, "I have to make sure this scene is secured and handed over to HPD. I'll follow as quickly as I can." He confirmed where they were taking his partner before waving them on.

He'd have to confer with the uniforms who'd converged on the scene to get them up to speed on the situation. There was another body to be taken care of. He stood watching the ambulance speed off to the hospital, his uneasiness multiplying when the driver chose to use the siren. Sighing, he turned to the officers who, through eyewitness accounts, were just beginning to get a handle on what had happened to cause one man to be on his way to the hospital and another to eventually be on his way to the morgue.

It was still several more minutes before he felt alright to leave and follow Steve to Queens. Though more than worried, he knew his partner was in good hands and, unlike previous hospital trips, Steve wasn't bleeding out and his vitals were relatively stable. Chin and Kono were just pulling up; the coroner's van right behind them when Danny, keys in hand, began the jog back to the Camaro. "Gotta go check on Steve." he called to them, "They've taken him to Queens."

"We got it here brah." called back Chin to their obviously worried comrade, "Go see how the boss is doing and give us an update."

The Hawaiian turned to his cousin beside him to say, "Here we go again. Steve's gonna be the death of that poor guy."

…

The small grey cat sat waiting expectantly on top of the file cabinet by the window. His humans should be returning shortly. It was beginning to grow dark and that meant they would be coming in the door soon. When they walked in he would demand they give him food as quickly as possible. If he sounded desperate enough, he knew they would move faster but maybe he would pounce on them first.

An ambush attack would be such fun. Maybe he'd pick on Flower Cloth Man this time though he wasn't as much fun to pounce on as the Loud Man who would yell, (sometimes quite a lot), and chase him. Maybe he could surprise the female who smelled like water. She ran almost as fast as his human. She was always fun to play with . . . and she gave good scratches.

His chosen human didn't yell at all. It was hard to get him to yell. He was very quiet most of the time and lately even more quiet. Maybe a game of ambush and chase would be fun for him?

Cujo waited patiently for his humans. _This is gonna be good._

…

It was one of the many times he'd waited for his partner; usually in this very same room. Its drab walls, migraine inducing lighting and equally uncomfortable chairs were much too familiar. Chin sat dozing in a corner with Kono's unshod feet in his lap. She'd fallen asleep, her long lank body across several of the chairs and her shoes discarded under them. Danny wondered how she even got comfortable enough on such an unforgiving surface to even fall asleep but she somehow managed. They'd been through this before . . . several times.

Occasionally they took turns. It wasn't _always_ Steve who bore the brunt of whatever calamity happened to come their way. Danny's calf still ached from the consequences of what he'd managed to put himself in the way of three months ago. He leaned down to rub absently at the still unfaded scar as with the other hand he thumbed through a ragged out-of-date copy of _Good Houskeeping_ without really noticing what was on its pages.

Once again it was Steve's turn. He did hold the record so far.

Though he looked contained enough, the detective was still trying to shake off the vision that had greeted him earlier in the day when he'd rounded the corner to come upon his partner lying seemingly dead; sprawled against the curb where he'd landed after the impact. On the sidewalk was a tourist screaming hysterically as someone with her was trying to calm her. Danny reached Steve's side, skidding the last couple of feet on his knees and expecting to find the worst.

Hoping he wasn't causing or adding to any injury, he pulled his partner away from the torrent of water that coursed along the curb toward the storm drains. Later, Steve would somehow find humor in the fact that he had nearly drowned on the streets of Honolulu but at that moment it had been a real danger . . . and Danny never did see the humor in it. Frantic to find a pulse he'd pressed his fingers against his partner's neck and nearly cried with relief when he found the reassuring throb - evidence of a still beating heart.

In what seemed only seconds, the sound of sirens cut through the patter of still falling rain. The driver of the truck, shaking like a leaf, had come up to them to see if he'd killed two people instead of just the one that lay several feet away in the middle of the road; blood diluting to a bright pink runoff on the crowned roadway.

Someday, it would make for an interesting story but Danny, in a warm and dry waiting room, once again shivered with cold at the memory of Steve lying broken on a rain slicked street and looking for all the world like a corpse.

….

He was growing tired of waiting for his humans to return . . . and his stomach was making those noises. He knew he could go to the other room where there waited a dish of dry, crunchy, food but he wanted the other stuff.

This place of shiny ground had already been cleared of mouses and lizards in these last few times of light and dark. He could find no more prey to chase and eat. Hunting had been scarce. It was boring.

As he lolled half asleep on top of his favorite vantage point he thought he heard a strange noise. Stirring to sit upright he listened more intently.

_There it is again! It's a sound I haven't heard before! What could make that noise?_

The now alert feline listened closely as this new noise quivered on the air.

_What could it be?_

Like pointy little satellite dishes, ears swiveled in the direction it came from as the suddenly alert feline peered intently out the window searching for its source. Out there in the rapidly dimming light a shadow flitted from under a bush. His pupils grew until no iris showed. Eyes like huge obsidian disks strained to see what or who was creeping about.

_There it is again! It sounds like . . . I don't know what it sounds like . . . _

He felt strange. The sound was oddly conflicting. He wanted to investigate its source but it was making him shiver with a feeling he'd never before experienced.

_What does the sound mean? What could be making it?_

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**Thank you all so much for your condolences. Lizzy would have purred at your responses or maybe, you know, been catlike and ignored them. In any case they were sincerely appreciated by husband and myself.**

**Next chapter more than halfway done. May be able to update within the week. Appreciate any comments you'd care to make on this chapter. All input is welcome. It can only help the story if you let me know what works for you or what doesn't.**


	4. The Deepest of Shadows

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 4

**Surprise! Again, it's short but it seemed the best place to end the chapter. Medical stuff is courtesy of Google. Apparently my beleaguered relative/medical info source is hiding from me. She probably heard I'd started a new chapter.**

**Imaginary Beta has done her usual editing. Just know she tried.**

**Disclaimer: Perhaps it's a good thing I don't make any money from this 'cause I'd have a plastic surgeon on call. An emergency full-body makeover costs big bucks but that's the unfortunate prerequisite for my date with those two beautiful men I'm convinced are waiting for me in Hawaii.**

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The Deepest of Shadows

"Family of Steven McGarrett?" called out a nurse from the doorway in the near wall.

"Here!" said Danny jumping from his seat to walk toward her. The cousins roused themselves to spring up as well; Kono, not taking the time to don her shoes, padded forward on bare feet.

Looking over the ragtag group before her the nurse nodded knowingly and motioned for them to follow down a short hallway off the waiting area to a small unmarked office. "Dr. Corby will be right here" she stated with just the slightest trace of a Filipino accent. "He's just finishing up with the Commander. He wanted to go over the results of any testing with the family so if you'd just wait here for a moment.

"Can you tell us anything . . . like how he's doing?" asked Danny though he knew she couldn't. Nurse Maria Batavia was one they'd dealt with before. Calm and efficient; she was sympathetic but by-the-book.

"I'm sorry." she replied, "You know I can't. Just be patient for another couple of minutes." With that she left them sitting in the nearly bare office, only the device on which to view x-rays and a couple of nondescript and cheaply framed prints decorated its walls.

The three exchanged looks. They knew that having a doctor request they receive news in private was never a good sign. The chairs in front of the desk in the small room were no more comfortable than ones just vacated but they sat and waited - though not with the patience instructed by Nurse Batavia.

True to his nurse's word, Dr. Corby entered five minutes later and greeted the trio with a brief smile. The youngish ER resident took his seat behind the desk and waited for the questions he knew were coming. It was almost a script with this group.

"What's the damage this time?" asked the worried blonde as the three looked expectantly at the physician they knew from previous unplanned visits to Queens Medical Center.

"This time," began Dr. Aaron Corby, "a moderate concussion, assorted bruising and abrasions, a contused left lung which will require close monitoring and a crack at his iliac crest, also known as a Duverney fracture, also on the left side. All-in-all, your boss was pretty lucky."

Seeing the expected question on the faces of those before him he further explained, "The iliac crest is the upper part of the pelvis almost at the point of the hipbone. The fracture won't result in any permanent impairment because it's not a weight-bearing part of the pelvis and we can't cast it but it's going to be pretty painful for a while."

"That'll teach him to run out into traffic . . . stupid kid." joked Danny to offset the tension that was just letting go of his chest and allowing him to breathe.

"How long is he out for?" asked Chin, ever the calm and steady fact seeker in stressful times.

"He'll be here for a few days yet and it will be four weeks at least before I can clear him for even light duty."

"Steve's gonna go ten kinds of nuts." said Kono, nodding her head in acknowledgement; face finally smoothing back into a more relaxed expression.

"Anything we need to do for him, I mean other than tie him to his bed to keep him from running a marathon or something?" asked Danny. He'd been through this before with his gung-ho, screw the torpedoes, partner. Keeping SuperSEAL in convalescent mode was always a struggle. Steve would be up and running long before given the go-ahead by anyone with a medical degree.

"No, just the usual but I don't think he's going to be doing any marathons for a while. To put it bluntly, this injury hurts like a bitch and even Commander Steven McGarrett is going to be feeling it." said the doctor his expression one of total earnestness. "He'll have to stay as inactive as possible for a few weeks while taking painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

"Yeah, but good luck to all of us when he gets tired of recuperating . . . and that won't take long." said Kono equally as earnest while wondering if now would be a good time to sign up for hostage negotiation training.

"You're still listed as Commander McGarrett's medical proxy and next-of-kin am I right?" the doctor looked directly at Danny. He remembered asking the blonde man the same question a few months ago but without McGarrett's inches thick file before him he needed to ask again. He'd been witness to the partner's sometimes inharmonious exchanges. At times they could sound nearly like the squabbles between himself and his soon to be ex wife so it was best to check.

Danny frowned, not only at the question but at the look in Dr. Corby's eyes.

"Yeah, we decided it was better than having his sister fly out every time our fearless leader manages to get himself munched and crunched in the line of duty. From the number of times that's happened, she may as well buy her own plane. It would be cheaper."

Having the feeling Steve's doctor hadn't asked the question for routine reasons this time; turning to the cousins Five-0's second-in-command said, "Look, why don't you guys go back to H.Q. while I wait for Steve's marbles to stop rolling around enough to hold a coherent conversation. You guys know I gotta get a start on the threats to keep him in line."

"That's a good idea", said Chin who'd astutely divined Danny was asking for privacy to speak with the doctor. "We have to get started on the paperwork for this mess. Denning's not going to be happy that we're a man down. It may slow up the investigation".

Both Danny and Kono recognized Chin's sarcastic flavoring of the word 'investigation'. The Governor wouldn't be happy in the least if the resolution of his pet case was delayed. There will be a definite spot for them on Denning's I'm-so-not-happy-with-this-shit-list when he hears that one of the suspects had been killed and his task force leader had been nearly flattened by a beer truck on a very busy downtown street and was now out of commission for several weeks.

"Okay Danny, call us if anything changes or you or Steve need anything." said Kono as the cousins stood to leave; the Hawaiian woman adding with a dimpled smile, "Kiss the boss for me", as she followed her cousin out the door.

"Not on yours or his best day girlfriend." huffed Danny. "There are already enough stupid rumors about that big goof and me. Besides, I think I can do better."

"The boss would probably say not on _your_ best day." replied Kono as her laughter trailed her out the doorway. The relief that Steve was going to be okay had made them all a bit giddy despite their dread of what awaited them in the process of keeping their hell-bent leader from ignoring the medical directive to stand down and recuperate.

As soon as the cousins had cleared the room, Danny addressed his partner's physician. "I know there's more you want to talk about." he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "So what's going on with Steve?"

"That's what I intended to ask you." answered the sandy-haired doctor who'd leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers like the bad guy in a Bond film. Danny distractedly thought that all the man needed was a bald cat or maybe a Chihuahua in his lap.

"What do you mean?" asked the detective; those bands of tension that had begun to loosen were once again beginning to constrict.

"Has he told you of previous injuries?" queried the doctor.

"He doesn't talk much about that sort of thing but I know he's had plenty of them, some of which I'm aware but I'm pretty sure there are quite a few of which I'm not. The man's got more scars than a bar top. A lot of those came from being in the military."

"I mean earlier than his being in the military." said Corby almost cautiously.

"You mean when he was a kid 'cause he's been in the military for most of his life. He's still in the reserves and gets deployed whenever they need his mysterious skill-set." That last phrase, in Danny's parlance required actual air-quotes around it which he automatically supplied.

"Yes, earlier than the military." responded the doctor resisting the urge to smile at the animated detective's hand gesture and its accompanying eye-roll. _So much like my almost ex_. was his thought.

"Well" began Danny, knowing there had to be a purpose behind this line of questions, "From what I've heard from Chin who was Steve's dad's partner at HPD, Steve was hell on wheels. He was always having to be patched up from some misadventure. I gather he was pretty hard to contain." then added Danny with a wry smile, "Doesn't seem like anything's changed much."

Corby smiled faintly in return and said "Let's take a look here" as he pulled out several sheets of x-rays from a large envelope he'd carried in with him then stood to pop them up onto the lighted viewing box on the wall. "Steve's about thirty-seven right now correct?"

"Yeah, same age as me." said Danny as he rose from the chair and went around the desk to stand next to the doctor who gazed upward at what had to be his partner's ex-rays.

"The injuries I'm talking about are many years old", he said as he pointed toward a place on the film, "I'd say over twenty if asked to put a number on it but from their locations it would point to an ahh . . . a situation that couldn't have been a good one for a child."

Peering closely at where the doctor had pointed but not recognizing the damage that was probably obvious to the physician, Danny asked, "You're saying these happened even earlier than when he was a teenager?" Those constricting bands around his body tightened another notch.

"The x-rays show long-healed fractures of both his pelvis and long bones. They're consistent with what we'd find in some cases."

Danny looked at the physician who now looked a bit uncomfortable with the conversation. Taking a deep breath, he gathered himself to put the question out there. "By some cases, you mean child abuse?" he asked, actually holding that breath while waiting for confirmation or denial.

"Yes." bluntly confirmed Corby

Danny, swallowing the awful taste that suddenly seemed to flood his mouth responded, "He's never mentioned anything like that but, then again, I don't think he would."

"Well, thought I'd mention it. Past abuse has ways of making itself a factor in one's present life. It can manifest in various ways - even mistreatment of one's own children . . ."

"Steve would never mistreat a child." interrupted Danny knowing with every fiber of his being his best friend would never do anything of the sort.

"Or," continued the doctor, "addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, and etcetera or . . . to other reckless, self-destructive, behavior. It seems the Commander's been a patient here far too many times recently and if past trauma has anything to do with it; it might be a good idea to address it."

"I'll do what I can doc." said Danny, knowing that to get Steve to talk about _anything_ he considered private would be, well, impossible. Trying not to acknowledge the feeling of defeat already making itself at home in his mind, he asked, "Can I see him now?"

"He's probably being moved upstairs as we speak. Ask at the desk and they can tell you the room number."

"Thanks . . . again." said Danny a little numbly as he shook the doctor's hand.

"Try to get him to talk Detective. He needs to get going in a better direction; one that will keep him alive longer than his current trajectory."

Danny silently nodded then with lips set in a thin line turned to make his way out of the office and down the hallway toward the nurse's desk.

How _ever_ was he going to broach the subject with his way too stoic partner?

…..

The noise had ceased and all was again silent in the darkness outside the windows. The rain had finally stopped and the clouds parted to reveal a full moon that with near sun-like intensity cast dark shadows on the glistening landscape.

Tiring of his vigil, the little cat yawned and stretched mightily, unsheathed claws scraping along the metal surface beneath him.

_This is boring. My humans are taking too long to come and feed me. Where could they be? They almost always come back before the dark comes again._

Yawning once more for good measure, the feline jumped gracefully down from the file cabinet to pad toward the place where he knew kibble sat waiting in a crockery dish in the other room. It would have to do for now.

He glanced toward the etched glass entry door on his way to find something to eat and froze in his tracks. Peering back at him were two emerald eyes!

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**I know there wasn't any Steve in this one and barely any Cujo but that will be remedied in the next chapter. PLEASE review?**


	5. Immobile

Cujo IV – Chapter 5

**Thank you all so much for your reviews, follows and favorites. Special thanks to Sym64, Sunny70, ACndCA, maggiemcgarrett and sue2556 for their creative input and for reminding me of 'things' and characters from past Cujo stories they'd like to see in this latest one.**

**Warning: Imaginary Beta is no more accurate than usual.**

**Disclaimer: Money has never crossed my palm in exchange for these words. Money hardly ever crosses my palm, it bypasses it to go directly to the utility company.**

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Immobile

A little before midnight:

"Mr. McGarrett will be in his room shortly. Give it about another fifteen minutes while they get him settled." Evaluating the fatigued and disheveled appearance of the man before her the clerk added, "There's actually decent coffee in the machine in the waiting area on that floor . . . and the chairs are padded."

Her name badge read H. Afaitu and she smiled sympathetically at him. Tall with abundant black hair tied into a large bun on top of her head, she looked right out the pages of a book on Gaugin's Paintings of the Pacific. He'd been given such a book. It sat on his coffee table, (or would if it wasn't being used to prop-up the broken leg of said table).

Gabby had been the one, (the one he'd actually listened to), who'd endeavored to give the haole detective an education on the history and peoples of the Pacific. He still marveled at the beauty of the color plates in the volume the museum curator had given him for his birthday. He felt she was probably hoping to un-Jersify his outlook on his new home but it hadn't worked, or at least he'd never admit if it had.

Thanking Ms. Afaitu with a smile of his own, the detective made his way to the elevators as thoughts of the beauty captured on canvas by a debauched artist faded and suspicions of ugliness captured on x-ray film replaced them.

Steve had always been the one to rush-in first whether it made sense to Danny at the time - or not. The man is a skilled fighting machine; the best of the best. It always somehow worked out. SuperSEAL and team would manage to save the day or the hostages or whatever.

His 2-IC had assumed it was just military training that made his partner so confident; augmented no doubt by what is most likely a risk-taking nature to begin with. Danny was also almost positive Steve had some sort of ADD issues that exacerbated his whole 'we don't need to wait, you _are_ the back-up' mindset.

How much of that behavior was suicidally reckless or how much trained response, or for that matter, how much of it was just Steve being Steve?_ Now_ he knew it wasn't only himself who suspected his normally crazed partner appeared even a bit crazier of late and had suffered the consequences.

As he distractedly pushed the button for the sixth floor, the man who was expected to always be the back-up was thinking, _Shit! How am I going to approach this subject with a guy who thinks talking about personal problems is tantamount to spilling national secrets?_

At this hour there wasn't much activity on the floor. He quickly found the room Steve had been assigned and wasn't challenged as he made his way toward it. No doubt the staff knew of Five-0's dogged determination to watch over their own.

Entering, he saw what he'd seen too many times before; Steve bruised and bandaged lying in a narrow hospital bed while leads and tubes entangled him. The night nurse had come in several times to rouse him for the necessary concussion checks and had received groans and mumbled replies to her questions before Steve would fall back to sleep. They now felt safe in giving him pain meds along with the anti-nausea medication so that accounted for some of the lethargy but they were monitoring him closely.

After watching his battered partner lie pretty much motionless for several hours and having been assured Steve was stable and probably wouldn't be fully waking until midday, Danny had been persuaded to go home to take a nap and clean up. His clothing had dried a wrinkled mess and horror of all horrors, his hair was frizzy.

Kono had called and volunteered to stay with Steve as she'd actually been able to catch a few zzz's after the morning's stakeout at Hono electronics and then a bit more in the waiting room last night, (though Danny had no idea how the woman could fall asleep there). Chin would then take over sitting with their so far only semiconscious leader and wait for Danny to show later in the morning.

As Danny stood waiting to be relieved of his shift, he sighed at the thought currently tormenting him: the uncomfortable conversation to come when Steve was finally fully awake.

…**.**

The sun had barely come up and the little feline still sat surveying the landscape visible outside the window from his post atop the cabinet. Other than a quick nibble at his dry food a couple of hours ago he hadn't even bothered to eat. There was no time for such distractions. He was on a mission.

_There is someone out there! I know it! _His senses somehow told him it was so but there was almost no smell to tell him who it is because the clear stuff is in the way. He knew someone was sneaking around under the little trees beyond the grass. Besides, during the dark, eyes had looked back at him through the clear stuff. He hadn't slept since. He couldn't. His entire body seemed to hum with energy.

The eyes that had looked at him were the color of how the big water sometimes looked. They kind of sparkled like the big water too. Or maybe they were more like the color of the little round sweet things that could be toys before they got too squishy and wouldn't roll anymore. It didn't matter. They made him want to go to them. He would stay here and keep searching until he found the one they belonged to.

…

Having arrived for his morning shift a little after eight, it was now almost ten A.M. and Danny sat quietly reading the latest copy of _People_. This time, he'd had the foresight for a quick visit to the gift shop for reading material that wasn't month's old as was the usual selection lying in the waiting areas at Queens. He'd also acquired a surprisingly decent cup of coffee. That lovely girl at the front desk last night had been right about the quality of the beverage in the machine on this floor.

Looking up when he heard a moan and the rustling of sheets he watched an unsteady hand reach toward the nasal cannula. "You know you can't take that off. Stop it." he admonished as he stood and leaned over the bed to guide Steve's hand back to his side.

The dazed look that greeted him when glazed eyes blinked open was almost comical.

"Danny?"

"Still my name." he acknowledged

"Whaa . . . ?"

"It's okay. You're gonna be fine." assured the detective for the fourth time within the last two hours.

The hand once again reached upward toward the tubing and once again, Danny gently interrupted the attempt.

"We've already had this discussion . . . at least a couple times. That has to stay where it is for now."

Steve glared groggily back at him; annoyance now mixed with the confusion on a too pale face.

"This is about the fourth or maybe even the fifth time we've been through this Steven. You're gonna be fine. You're at Queen's. Try to stay with me a while longer this time okay? Either that or I'm just gonna have a video made so that we can play it on that nice big flat screen above your bed each time you come back from la la land."

"Umm . . . okay?" was the gravelly and still not quite with-it agreement.

"You remember anything of what happened to land you here?" asked Danny at a lower volume than he usually used. From his own experience he knew that waking from concussions made even small sounds large and sometimes painful.

"Where . . . where's here?" came the usual question from the groggy man in the bed. He'd already forgotten what Danny had told him only moments earlier.

"The hospital genius."

Managing to now look more irritated than confused, Steve grumbled, "I know iss a hosp'tal. Which one?"

"Queens this time." answered his concerned but amused partner.

"Oh."

"So, you remember what happened?"

With creased brow the patient seemed to mightily consider the question before answering. "Umm . . . sort of? We were in . . . in your car in the rain." He looked questioningly up at Danny, "D'we crash?"

"Nope, not us at least . . . and not in the car. You, on the other hand, had a most spectacular collision with a conveyor of Hawaii's finest lager."

"Huh?" Steve tried to move to a more upright position but as soon as he even twitched in the attempt he gasped in pain. "MOTHER FUH…." the last of the epithet was lost to a loud groan.

"Oh, and don't move." instructed Danny, "You've got the mother of all owies right now."

Steve, face scrunched in pain, breathed rapidly in and out like an expectant mother in a Lamaze class as he tried to deal with the searing pain that pretty much engulfed his entire left side from ribs to knee.

His own face creased in sympathy, Danny picked up the device clipped to the pillowcase beside his partner's face and pressed the button to summon a nurse.

"They'll come in and give you some more of the good stuff in another few seconds babe. Hang in there."

Steve only managed to nod weakly as he continued to keep his eyes closed while sweat beaded on paper pale skin.

Presently a familiar and frightening form entered the room and, clucking loudly, moved around the bed to the other side where the morphine pump was located and quickly punched in a code.

"Already told him not to do anything stupid." she muttered, "Some people never listen."

_Where is that cute and really nice nurse from just a few minutes ago?_ wondered the startled detective. "Uhh, hi Bambi." he gulped.

Seeing the not very successfully hidden look of dismay on the blonde's face she said, "Don't worry Detective Williams, I'm not the regular nurse assigned to this station. I'm just filling in for someone who's out with a sprain for a couple days. You'd think people in the medical profession would know better than to endanger life and limb by doing something as monumentally stupid as skateboarding." she huffed

"Can't say that I'm happy to see you again . . . " blurted the flustered detective then quickly amending his statement said, "What I mean is I'm not happy to be visiting this Neanderthal in the hospital again but umm it's also kind of a relief that you're here."

"Relief?" asked the stern woman as she efficiently checked and noted all the readings on the displays. Leaning toward her still pain-wracked patient she said, "It's okay Steven, the meds will take effect in just another second or two, just hang in there honey."

_Steven? Honey?_ silently noted Danny in astonishment. _Since when has the dragon-lady become so warm and fuzzy? With Steve?_

"Now, what were you saying Detective?" she asked, waiting a few seconds as she observed her patient before turning stiffly back toward the blonde like a drill instructor rounding on a recruit.

Danny, starting out confidently enough began, "I was about to say that I'm glad it's you taking care of Commander Chaos here. You're certainly one of the, umm, most competent caregivers here at Queens and you were able to keep him in line that last time he, umm . . ." For some strange reason, his words began to lose momentum the closer he got toward the end of his statement. Oh well, she'd know what he meant.

"Uh huh." she said as her gimlet eyes looked straight into his soul and, obviously finding it wanting, fixed him with her usual glare.

Danny tried very hard not to shrink back into himself but the woman intimidated the crap out of him. In his defense, she intimidated the crap out of pretty much everyone. Even the Governor had backed down on that visit to Steve a couple of catastrophes ago.

Denning had arrived in-person to check on his injured task force leader and to get some paperwork signed. Nurse Bambi had promptly chased him out of the room, telling the Governor of the State of Hawaii in no uncertain terms: _There will be no work of any sort expected of this man before he is well enough to deal with it! Now scoot!_

Denning had run like a rabbit.

"I'll give you ten more minutes then I want you out of here. Capiche? Your friend certainly isn't going anywhere for awhile and the more rest he gets without you people giving him the third degree every time he comes-to; the sooner he'll be allowed out of here. Besides, by now, we both know how the Commander will react if there is any hint of work in which he delusionally thinks he can involve himself."

"Yes ma'am." meekly replied the blonde. Looking beyond where she stood hands on hips, he could swear that Steve smirked at him from his sickbed. He could be mistaken though; it may have been some sort of plea for rescue. Hard to tell.

Satisfied she'd done her job for the moment, the fierce woman, muttering under her breath about cops and their thick heads, whisked herself out of the room.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Danny once again ventured closer to the bed to begin a conversation with his partner. Steve looked marginally less dazed; his face was no longer scrunched in agony.

"So, what do you remember about what happened Rambo?"

Steve seemed to contemplate the question for so long that Danny thought he'd fallen back to sleep before a still graveled voice replied, "I remember seeing something . . . umm maybe a beer label? Were we drinking beer? How . . . how did I get hurt drinking beer?"

"We weren't drinking beer no; but beer was definitely a factor. The Wailuku Brewing Company is not going to be the least bit happy with you for denting one of their vehicles with your block like head. That must be the reason you remember seeing a label. It's plastered ten feet high on the sides of their trucks."

"Huh?"

Taking pity on the man who probably won't be able to hold a coherent conversation for several more hours yet, Danny patted one of the few unbandaged places on his partner's arm and assured him, "It's okay babe. Don't worry about it for now."

Steve was beginning to relax more fully into the thin pillow; a minimal hint of color returning to his face now that pain had apparently been muted.

Smiling at the small but visible improvement Danny said, "I don't suppose I should ask how you feel because that's pretty obvious."

"Hmm?" murmured Steve, who with the latest dose of the good stuff was now on the verge of going under once again.

"Never mind. I'm just glad you're gonna be okay. Take it easy and behave for the dragon lady and I'll be back to see you later."

Steve didn't acknowledge Danny's words, he had already drifted back to sleep.

….

If he stayed waiting here long enough, he was sure she would come to him again. _Wait . . . _ _she? How could I know that? Was that noise a female calling to him? What was she saying?_

He had to get out there and find the one with eyes the color of the big water or umm . . . like the color of the little round things. Even thinking of her made him feel funny all over. It was like all of his human's paws were petting and scratching him all over at the same time but . . . more and umm stronger? _How strange._

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**NOTE: Portions of this story were inspired by the wonderful work of Sym64 in her story 'Mistaken'. It's a great read if you want to check it out.**

**Next chapter may include the actual appearance of Cujo's mysterious new 'friend'. I hope to have it ready to post within the next five days or so.**

**Reviews on this chapter would be very much appreciated. **


	6. Restless

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 6

**Hope you like this one. Anyway, it's long. Thank you to FlamMabel for the 'catnip' and thank you to all those who've taken the time to review, favorite and follow.**

**Imaginary Beta is still on the job but you know . . . **

**Disclaimer: Remaining ninja cat, like the one she owns, is too fat, lazy, and penniless to get into too much trouble. Personal trainers and motivational seminars are as yet beyond my means. Guess it's a good thing I don't get paid for this.**

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Restless

With Nurse Bambi on the job it was decided there was no need for the team to stay with Steve 24/7. Actually, the fierce woman had made that decision for them and no one wanted to cross her. Taking any available window of opportunity, they'd visited for brief moments between their still ongoing investigation for Denning, (now pretty much back to square one), and a couple other cases than ran concurrently. His stern caregiver had told them Steve would be pretty much out of it for the next couple of days with some heavy-duty pain meds onboard. She promised to call if there were any changes they should be aware of or if Steve expressed a desire to see his team but, for now, its remaining members along with Cujo were Steveless and it felt weird.

That restless energy that fueled their leader had somehow become part of the dynamic that drove the entire team. They missed it. Even Cujo hadn't been his usual self. He'd been perched atop the file cabinet for days lurking like a four-footed vulture and, waiting for what (?), no one seemed to know.

"Chin?" asked Danny as the Hawaiian detective passed his doorway while engaged in animated conversation with Kono. They'd put in another of several twelve-hour days and were no closer to finding a new source of information to replace the one that had been flattened by the beer truck. It was now almost seven-thirty and Danny had called it a night. They were all beat and he knew the cousins were expected at a family gathering that evening as well. He'd instructed his team to not come in tomorrow, (Saturday), until ten. After the last few days the late start time would feel like a vacation.

"Yeah Danny? What's up?" asked Chin, waving Kono ahead of him and telling her, "Catch up to you at the party cuz. Make sure there's still some of your mom's haupia left for me when I get there."

His cousin frowned and shrugged her silken shoulders before saying with a mischievous smile, "Can't really guarantee I'll be able to control myself so I'd better just wait for you in my office Cuz. Come get me when you're done so we can go together. There's no way I'm gonna walk into a roomful of aunties without backup. For sure I'll be ambushed and you _know_ they'll bombard me with questions about my love life." she rolled her eyes and added, "As if I had time for one. And if I did have someone, _anyone_, they'd want to know when to expect the wedding invitations."

"Hey," replied Chin with a broad grin, "Never let it be said that I allowed a teammate to go into the line of fire without back-up."

With a chuckle and brief showing of her dimples she said, "Later brah" to Danny and strode gracefully away to wait for her cousin.

Entering Danny's office and closing the door behind him, Chin perched in a chair opposite the desk. "What's going on?" asked the Hawaiian, knowing their de facto leader had seemed distracted but at the same time sensing it didn't have anything to do with Steve not being around.

Chin settled into the comfortably upholstered chair as Danny, his pale blue eyes much too serious, began without preamble, "How long were you partnered with Steve's dad?"

Quirking his brows but answering nonetheless the Hawaiian responded, "Almost three years; why?"

Danny waited a long moment before responding, "I'd only started with HPD right before he was killed and didn't get to do anything but nod when I passed him in the hallway a couple times. I've heard some of the stories but never got a chance to know him. So, what kind of guy was he?"

Frowning only inwardly, Chin gazed back at his temporary leader who regarded him from across the cluttered desk. In only the few days Steve hadn't been around to bitch about the mess, Danny hadn't bothered to neaten it up and it showed. Even if it resembled total chaos to anyone else, Chin knew Danny had a 'system' and, in a flash, could find what may be needed.

Deciding to just answer the question before pursuing his own, he began. "John McGarrett was all the things we admire in Steve; just as determined to protect and serve. He was smart, brave, kind . . . all the good stuff but maybe a little less intense than our fearless leader; not so umm . . . scarily focused." Then Chin declared with all sincerity, "He was a really decent guy and a good friend. Actually, for a while there, maybe my only friend."

Danny took in the answer without responding; seeming to consider Chin's description for a long moment. The silence lasted until the Hawaiian asked, "What's going on Danny? Why are you asking me this?"

Danny puffed out a breath and said, "I need to get an idea of what the guy was like. The only thing I know about him is from the investigation conducted when he was killed and maybe the few things you'd mentioned along with Steve's own _expansive_ description of his father."

Chin knew the blonde was being facetious using the term 'expansive'. It wasn't a word that would usually be associated with their taciturn leader unless you were talking about the chemical process of explosives.

Now too intrigued to let it go, Chin asked, "I know there's a point to this. What is it Danny?

"I'm not even sure yet." evaded the blonde, "Just something that came up." Leaning forward, he began to distractedly neaten a pile of reports on his desk.

"Is there something wrong with Steve?" asked Chin; then before the haole could answer added with a grin, "I mean, you know, something other than what you'd say is the obvious?"

Danny replied with a halfhearted smile, "There's something I've gotta look into but, as far as I know, our fearless leader is still tied to his bed at Queens and being watched over by his worst nightmare. We've had some loopy conversations because they've still got him drugged to the eyeballs but he's on the mend. They might even release him in another couple days if Catherine can get home to take care of her not-my-boyfriend. She's still in the middle of the ocean somewhere on maneuvers or whatever the hell they call it."

"I wouldn't envy her that duty – taking care of Steve I mean. The guy really does need to declare a more formal arrangement with his woman if she's willing to volunteer for nursing duty." Then Chin exclaimed with a sudden look of dismay. "Uh oh, now I sound like the aunties."

Danny grinned at their usually laid-back detective, "Get going so you can back-up your partner. You don't wanna leave her at the mercy of ruthless interrogators. I know my own aunts drove Angie nuts for years until she'd had enough one day and just yelled at them, "Leave me alone dammit! I'm gay!" then chuckling, Danny added, "That shut 'em up for a while but they started up again not too long after. They were then trying to match her up with various women . . . well, except for Aunt Mimi, she still held out hope that Brad Pitt could win her over."

Chin chuckled at the image of Danny's beautiful but tough as leather sister, a fellow cop, taking her stand against nosy relatives.

As he rose from his seat he said, "Yeah, before we get to the party, Kono and I need to go over our strategy to keep the pack at bay. It's gonna be tough to keep her out of their jaws."

Danny stood to come around the desk and follow his teammate out of the room. He knew he couldn't ask much more if he didn't want to make his reasons obvious, "Thanks for your time Chin. I'm sorry I can't give you more information on this umm . . . situation. Not for a long time yet . . . if ever."

Not pushing for more, Chin replied, "Okay, let me know what you can, when you can and_ if_ you can." He'd suspend his curiosity for the moment. The perceptive Hawaiian was aware that despite Danny's loudly proclaimed criticisms of his partner, he was also fiercely protective of him. He had a feeling it may have been something that resulted from Danny's discussion with Steve's doctor the day of the accident. At this point, it would only be speculation on his part as to what the issue may be. He just hoped it wasn't anything that held consequence for either Steve or his best friend.

As he followed Chin down the short hallway to the outer office Danny looked around and asked, "Hey, have you seen Cujo lately?"

"Last time I saw him he was on top of the file cabinet by the door with his face glued to the window. He's been there for so long he's beginning to look like part of the architecture, sort of like our own furry little gargoyle."

"Maybe he's waiting for Steve to come back?" asked Danny

"Maybe", considered Chin. Steve and the cat had an unexplainable bond. A couple of years ago when their leader had been injured while on a mission and then later when taken ill in New Jersey; the cat knew something was wrong. It was eerie.

Just then Kono, seeing that Chin's meeting with Danny was at an end, walked across the office to take her cousin by the arm.

"See you tomorrow Danny. Say hi to Steve for me when you see him in the morning. Tell him I'll stop by at lunch. I don't know if he can eat any but I'll try to snag some of Auntie Olina's macadamia salad for him. I know he likes it." Then tugging on Chin's arm she said, "Come on Cuz. We gotta go strategize this op."

Danny saluted a goodbye and sighing in weariness prepared to leave as well. He knew visiting hours would be over at Queen's by the time he got there and Bambi was on duty. For whatever reason, she'd stayed longer than the predicted 'couple of days' as replacement for the nurse injured in the skateboarding mishap. There was no way he could sneak in to visit his partner. It was just as well. His own ass was dragging and Steve needed his rest. He'd just go home and drink a beer. That conversation they'd yet to have loomed like an ominous raincloud.

…

He lay awake contemplating the ceiling tiles. He'd already counted them . . . again. There were exactly fifty-four of the perforated acoustic panels that made up the ceiling of this increasingly claustrophobic cell he'd occupied for five days that felt more like five years. He'd already figured the square footage of the vinyl that made up the floor beneath his increasingly uncomfortable bed, then had gone on to calculate the most likely measure of it used in the entire hospital. He was about to embark on the challenging mystery of how many ice cubes, (allowing for the variables of the way water expanded when frozen and the air spaces between the cubes), could be contained in the plastic pitcher that sat on the stand beside him when Danny walked in.

"Danny!" he greeted perhaps a bit too enthusiastically then made the mistake of trying to sit up. It only got him a giant jolt of pain that resulted in a hiss and watering of eyes as he abandoned the attempt and lay back again.

"Easy there babe." cautioned Danny as he located the bed control that had gotten lost in the blankets and handed it to his partner. "Wow." he exclaimed, "If I'da known you'd be so happy to see me I'd have tried to get past your guard dog last night to visit before going home."

Blowing out a breath of relief as the results of his unwise movement lessened, Steve gestured toward the chair beside his bed. "Just glad for some sort of distraction." he said, "Don't let it go to your head."

Aside from the pain-scrunched face, Steve actually looked not too bad this morning. Though he had a serious case of bedhead and a dark scruff of beard he looked almost normal. His coloring had greatly improved. The heart monitor had been removed as had the pulse-ox and blood pressure cuff. There were no longer any lines that lead to bags of fluids or the tubing and collection bag that Steve hated with a passion.

Danny set a small bakery bag onto the rolling tray and pushed it close enough that Steve wouldn't have to reach too far to get to it.

"Breakfast too?" smiled Steve as he pressed the button to raise the head of his bed then cautiously extended his arm toward what he knew, along with pizza, was Danny's soul food. Finding out the hard way what movements to avoid, he was careful not to tense pretty much any of the muscles on his left side.

"Sorry I couldn't bring you any coffee to go with them." apologized Danny, "Bambi said if we gave you anything to make you even _more_ antsy she'd make us sorry."

"What, you guys have never heard of decaf?" Steve snorted and rolled his eyes but couldn't really blame his partner for following her orders. The woman is scary. "So what's going on?" he asked as he stuffed a blob of fried sugary dough known as a maladsada into his mouth then hummed in appreciation.

"Nothing much, and you know very well, Steven, I've been forbidden to mention anything about any cases we may be working."

Danny smiled at his partner showing such obvious relish for something he'd heretofore declared should be eaten only on special occasions like a Kardashian winning an academy award or perhaps in celebration of a new millennium.

This time Steve did express his annoyance. "You guys are such wusses." he snorted using one of Danny's favorite terms. "Just because Bambi has issued a decree doesn't mean you have to go along with it."

"So says the man who couldn't get his ass back to bed fast enough when he was busted for trying to walk to the john without assistance. You looked like Frankenstein lurching his way back to the castle while the villagers chased him with torches and clubs."

"Well, she was standing there with a needle in her hand. I'm not stupid." huffed Steve

"Says you." snorted his partner

"Look, I'm going crazy in here! The doc won't let me go home until there's someone who can, I quote, 'watch over my convalescence', and Cath won't be home for at least another week!" Steve actually did sound upset now.

"I know babe. I'm sorry." said Danny with all sincerity, "Despite you being possibly the worst convalescent in the history of convalescence, I'd take the job myself but Denning's driving us crazy with his pet case and, along with the couple others we're working right now, there's no way I can take any time off to babysit or umm I mean watch out for you." he quickly corrected.

Steve shot him a brief glare but didn't say anything about the unfortunate first choice of a word. It's exactly how he felt, like a baby - helpless. Even getting back and forth to the bathroom had been an almost unbearably painful journey as it required him to use the muscles and tendons attached to the damaged part of his pelvis. Who knew that a relatively 'minor' injury visible only as fierce bruising could be so painful?

Danny stood looking contrite for the slip. He knew Steve hated feeling out of control and this had to be killing him.

Steve took pity on his remorseful looking friend. "Hey, don't worry about it D. Despite what you're always saying, you're not my keeper. I'm just having a hard time being so cooped-up. My lung is all but healed and everything else is on the mend but it fucking hurts like a sonofabitch to move around."

"I know. It can't be easy. The doc said this is one of the more painful booboos you can have without actually winding up with life-threatening damage."

"Sure feels like it." glumly agreed the now depressed looking man; too depressed to give his partner a bad time over the term 'booboo'. Still, things _had_ gotten better. Even though he couldn't go far, he was now at least untethered enough to get out of bed. Other than the scabbed-over scrapes and some seriously ugly bruising, the only things left as visible reminders were the hep-lock on the back on his right hand and a couple of small bandages on the worst of the abrasions on his arms.

Danny, not wanting to approach this but perhaps now would be the best time to do so cleared his throat. Steve couldn't walk off in a huff because he pretty much couldn't walk at all. If they were still speaking to each other after this, maybe he'd offer to wheel him outside into the sunshine for a bit if it was okay with Bambi. He'd check.

"Steve, uhh, something's come up that I need to ask you about." said Danny as he pulled a chair closer to the side of the bed and Steve looked at him with perhaps a bit of apprehension.

"Yeah D, so what's going on? What do you want to talk about?"

Danny cleared his throat and looked positively antsy even though he was relatively motionless. Even the hands that usually served to illustrate so much of his conversations sat quietly clasped in his lap.

"You know . . . ahh . . . when you were x-rayed when you first came in here . . . umm there was something that the doc pointed out that I need to ask you about."

Steve didn't say anything; he pushed the button on the control to raise the bed a bit higher to better look Danny in the eye. Waiting for his partner to speak, he cocked an eyebrow.

"And what he showed me kind of hinted at what may have happened to you when you . . . umm were just a kid."

"Just spit it out Danny. What the hell are you talking about?" Steve's gut began to tighten. He'd hoped this would never come up – ever. But what else could it be?

"Did you have any trouble with your parents when you were growing up?"

Steve, face now set like stone replied, "I was always in trouble when I was a kid. I was sort of . . ." he paused searching for the right phrase "curious about stuff. It made me wander off a lot and get into things I probably shouldn't have."

"Not much has changed I guess." lamely laughed the detective

"What exactly are you asking?" said Steve, his tone beginning to harden as had his face.

"Did your parents mistreat you, is what I'm asking." said Danny quietly

"Of course not! That's absurd!" exclaimed the man in the bed

"Well, your x-rays show that you've had some injuries from long ago that would indicate abuse." doggedly pursued his friend.

Face now reddening, "Get out." said Steve, "Go back to work. If it's as busy as you say it is, you shouldn't even have stopped by."

"Steven . . ." pleaded the blonde

"Just leave Danny." growled his partner

…

As the frazzled detective stared at his distorted reflection in the smudged chromed plate around the elevator buttons on the ride to the ground floor, his chest hadn't yet begun to lose the heavy feeling.

Steve wasn't going to talk about this. There was no way he was ever going to reveal what had caused the injuries the doctor had pointed out. This would be a lost cause as would be trying to keep his friend from putting himself in harm's way one too many times.

The doors opened and he strode across the lobby toward the exit. He never thought he'd look forward to going back to work on Denning's case. He wondered when or if Steve would ever get over him even asking the question.

Head down, he walked slowly across the parking lot as drizzle began to soak through his cotton shirt. When he'd entered the lobby only twenty minutes earlier it had been sunny and dry. As he'd said before, it rains far too much and too frequently here in Paradise - on some people more than others.

…..

The little cat was still restlessly staring out the window when she finally made her appearance. Here was the form that belonged to the voice. Barely able to contain himself, Cujo chirped anxiously as he sat up to stretch out his neck and press his nose against the glass. He desperately wanted to launch himself through the clear barrier that kept them apart.

_He could see her! She came out from under the little trees. He knew if he watched long enough he'd see her again! She looked more wonderful than sunshine on a napping place. More wonderful than the sparkly things he'd stolen long ago from the tall female._

_Her fur was shiny. It was almost the same color as when the light went away right before the dark came again. Almost the same color of some of the big flowers that were everywhere and didn't really have a smell._

The entranced little feline watched as the red tabby glided across the lawn toward the front of the building directly under the window he looked out of. She paused and looked upward, one white dipped paw bent and held delicately aloft as she sniffed the air; her pose like that of a runway model. Patterned like ink stirred through water in swirling eddies, her silken coat glowed in the sunlight. On a feline scale of pulchritude, she was hot stuff!

_She looked right at him. Her grass eyes made him feel like the stuff his human sometimes gave him; the dried leaves that smelled so good and made his head feel funny and his body feel even funnier. He had to go to her!_

_The next time someone opened the door he'd be gone._

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**PLEASE let me know if you're still enjoying the story. Comments, good or bad, are much appreciated.**


	7. Plans as Yet Unthwarted

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 7

**Okay, here's a nice long one. Thank you for continuing to read and I hope you'll let me know what you think of this chapter. Depending on what's going to happen in Season 5, this story may turn out to be drastically AU but hey, I've already given them a cat and it's fiction . . . right? I should mention there's a reference to an incident in the original Cujo story 'Small Comfort'.**

**Imaginary Beta gave it a shot but she's no more motivated than usual.**

**Disclaimer: Still no money made from these scribblings. Remaining ninja cat is still hoping for that promised mouse ranch. Fortunately, she's the one with the really crappy math skills.**

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Plans as Yet Unthwarted

"What the hell are you doing up there?" asked Danny as he walked by the cabinet on top of which perched their rodent control officer. "You haven't moved for days!"

The detective reached forward to stroke the little cat's head and feel his ears, (he thought maybe it was the best way to feel for fever). Anyway, it was the only part of the animal he cared to deal with that had little fur to block the sense of its temperature. Cujo's ears were indeed hot. Assuming it was the same way with cats as with dogs, he next felt the feline's nose; it was cold and damp. _That's a good thing, right?_

"What's going on Danny?" asked a voice behind him, Chin's.

"I don't know. This cat hasn't moved from the top of this cabinet for friggin' days. What do you think it could be? You think he's sick?"

"Don't tell me you're worried about the health of the animal you swear is out to murder you?"

"Of course not!" huffed Danny, "I'm only worried that if the little bastard croaks on my watch the Cat Lady will have my head. Besides, I'm already on Rambo's shit list. I think you guys are gonna be his only visitors from Five-0 today."

Seeing the questioning look on the face of the Hawaiian detective, the blonde muttered, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Uh huh." said Chin

That Danny could have irritated their leader to the point of exasperation would not be that unusual but their feisty haole didn't volunteer anything further so he didn't push the issue.

The lean Hawaiian then reached toward the cat to feel for indication of an abnormal temperature. Like Danny, his only experience with such things was from being around dogs. There'd been several family canines when he was growing up and his mother had always told him if their noses were cold and wet they were okay. Cujo squawked his annoyance as another human fondled his ears and tapped his nose.

"Maybe we should get him to the vet?" murmured Chin noting the heat of the little animal's ears though his nose was cool and moist.

"Maybe we should consult Dr. Kono." said Danny.

Detective Kalakaua was their go-to for all things feline. Steve, owing to a previously nomadic lifestyle and much earlier to his sister's raging allergies had never had a pet, (and still denied having one), but regularly Googled for information on cat care. He approached it with the same focus as he did pretty much everything else; intensely gathering intel before planning an op. These days, rather than collecting information needed for taking down the Taliban, the information sought would be something more in the line of 'How to pill a cat without losing a finger'. Despite Steve's dutiful research, Kono had actual experience with having a cat as a family pet so she was their more usual source for feline-related information.

"Maybe he just misses Steve?" posed Chin as the animal atop the cabinet now glared distrustfully back at him.

_Why are the Loud Man and Flower Cloth Man staring at me?_ wondered the feline prepared to give a warning nip to the next paw that invaded his personal space.

He was definitely not in a good mood this morning. Not being able to meet with the alluring female had already made him cranky. He'd missed several naps as he spent the night and most of the awakening day watching and waiting for _her_ to reappear; searching for a glimpse of the sunset colored siren amid the leafy expanse outside the window. Finally, the exhausted feline had dozed off; missing his opportunity to dash out the door when the humans arrived. Tired, agitated and annoyed; having his nose pawed over and his ears felt up wasn't helping.

"Let's wait for Kono and see what she thinks." said Danny, "She should be in any minute."

"Wonder Woman called a little earlier to say she's bringing us something good so maybe that means maybe she's stopped off at Liliha's?" posed Chin hopefully

Thoughts of the bakeries' chocolate filled pastry made both men's mouths water.

"Maybe you should take him to visit Steve at the hospital." mused the Hawaiian as Cujo now regarded them warily; yellow eyes evaluating the two humans who stared back at him from nearly the same eye-level as his own.

"Yeah 'cause that worked out so well last time." snorted the blonde a sour look creasing his face.

"You and the popoki did provide everyone at Queen's with a really entertaining floorshow brah. It's pretty much the stuff of hospital legend I hear."

"Yeah, I know. That stupid incident will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. I also know that I've got claw-mark scars in places that claws should never go near unless you're into some seriously freaky shit."

Chin wanted to laugh aloud at the words but more so at the memory of what had caused Danny's reluctance to consider such a plan ever again. Controlling himself he said, "Well, you guys seem to have made up at least."

"Hey, don't think I trust the little shithead. He's only just waiting 'till I let my guard down before he tries to finish that discount vasectomy."

"What's this about a vasectomy?" asked Kono as the heavy glass door closed behind her and she strode up to the two detectives, a small bakery box in one hand and a carrier with three steaming paper cups in the other.

Replied both men simultaneously, "Nothing."

Danny immediately reached for the venti sized cup with his name written on it; improbably more excited about it than the contents of the box. He'd have to someday address this new addiction. Is there such a thing as cappuccino rehab?

She handed a cup to Chin and took a sip from her own as Cujo stared malevolently from his perch.

Okay." she chuckled, "I know that's not your favorite subject so I'll let you guys off the hook for now." She set her coffee cup on top of the cabinet and held the box open as both men dipped into it for their breakfast treats. "So what's going on with Cujo?" she asked

"We were just trying to figure it out. He pretty much hasn't been off the top of that cabinet since the day Steve got thrashed." said Chin.

"It could have something to do with Rambo being in the hospital." said Danny, "You know they've somehow got that weird 'psychic' connection. With the both of them being sort of feral I guess it's possible."

Kono smiled at their usually skeptical haole. Perhaps Danny was, in his way, softening on the more mystical things of life. Maybe he'd become more attuned to the culture of the islands than she'd thought. After all, he did lose the tie.

The three task force members now stood silently contemplating with narrowed eyes the live puzzle who stared back unblinkingly; a mixture of suspicion and curiosity on his furry face. Danny took a bite of his coco-puff and, if humans could purr, the cousins were sure they'd have heard such a sound as he savored his breakfast snack.

Comparing the past to the present Chin began, "You guys remember Cujo's reaction when Steve was injured on that classified mission though they were probably thousands of miles apart? And then again that Christmas when Steve almost died during the visit to Jersey? There's that weird connection between them. Maybe Steve being in the hospital is bothering him?"

"He's not reacting in quite that same way this time." said Kono, "That time he got really agitated and totally freaked before he escaped and went off to search for the boss."

"Yeah, you're right. This time he's just glued to this one spot. It's like he's hyper-focused on something outside the window." mused Chin who bit carefully into one of the cream filled puffs and chewed thoughtfully.

Kono frowned and pursed her lips as she pulled up a memory. "You know, I thought I heard a cat the other night when we got back from the hospital. It wasn't Cujo; he was already on top of this cabinet."

"You think he's on the lookout for a rival? Maybe he's afraid there's another mentally unstable wolverine waiting to take his place?" asked Danny as he helped himself to a second treat.

"Guys, I don't think it's a rival he's worried about." laughed Kono as their rodent control officer's issue dawned on her. "I think he's worried about something else - like maybe not being able to get some Barry White."

"Huh?" responded both men who stared at her with questioning looks, open mouths displaying bits of uneaten pastry.

Kono was aware the guys, (including their boss), were a bit leery of discussing certain subjects. A couple weeks earlier their rodent control officer had peed on Danny's desk, (again), and she wasn't sure if it was protest over a none-too-clean litterbox or if their nearly grown popoki was beginning to mark his territory as unaltered and sometimes even altered cats will do.

Steve had stood smirking while his incensed partner had mopped up then had the temerity to say that Cujo had claimed his territory and the desk now belonged to him. Red faced with anger, his partner had threatened their leader and his not-my-pet with dire consequences, none of which involved neutering – at least not for the cat.

They'd been sitting in the break room having lunch later that day when she'd broached the subject of a visit to the vet. When the guys suddenly realized what she meant by the term 'fixed', Kono could swear she saw three sets of thighs quickly slam together.

To her credit, she didn't laugh. _It's always about that part of their anatomies isn't it?_

"I'm pretty sure that was a female I heard calling out to our little Romeo. Think about it guys." Now laughing, she walked off to the breakroom to put the rest of the goodies onto the table for later.

…..

It was a little before visiting hours were over. He'd been given his last dose of pain meds and was grateful for it. For an injury that wasn't life-threatening, this type of fracture was . . . well . . . it hurt like a bitch. When he so much as tried to move his left leg or use any of the muscles attached to the point of injury, the pain was almost dizzying. He was aware it could have been worse. Hell, he'd had worse. But now, no matter how much he fought it, he knew he was sidelined for several more days at least. Hope of attempting even limited strolls was dashed when he so much as twitched any muscle on the left side of his body.

He was bored out of his skull and about to scream if he couldn't get outdoors to move around. He'd always relied on physical activity to calm his mind as well as his body. This search for peace had always been behind his swims and runs. He'd long figured it was something to do with endorphins. They were his drug as surely as heroin or meth could be for others. Danny had always made fun of him for his stringent exercise routines but his partner wasn't aware it wasn't really a choice. It was a need; a necessity. Without it, he would be vibrating with the restlessness that could interfere with keeping his head sorted out. He missed the physical activity. He missed his work. Hell, he missed his cat! It kind of weirded him out to realize that he longed for that familiar purring sound . . . it was soothing.

Pain or not, it was time to start planning an op.

….

Cujo sat on the file cabinet in front of the big opening covered in clear stuff. Usually, he resented the strange invisible thing that kept him from exploring the wonderful things he could see from here.

This time he knew it kept him from getting wet as the water that fell from the sky splatted loudly against it. Not that he minded getting wet. At his human's place, it was fun to stand under the falling water in the really small room. After many times of careful observation, he'd finally figured out that must be how humans liked to get clean. Giving oneself a bath with paw and tongue seemed so much more efficient but the bubbly stuff they like to use is pleasant. It didn't taste very good but it smelled like flowers.

Sometimes his human's female liked to be in the little room along with his human. It was so they could clean each other he supposed. To his annoyance, they would chase him out of the little room. He couldn't understand why they wouldn't share their water; there was certainly enough of it.

The tall man liked to be wet quite a lot. Sometimes he would see him jump into the big salty water just for fun. He didn't appear to be chasing fishes or anything. But the big water was too big and scary to follow him into it . . . and it didn't smell like flowers. The big sand box where he waited for his human was nice. Sometimes there were birds to chase but he could never catch them. Besides, some of them had sharp beaks. He'd found that out the hard way. It was kind of embarrassing to be trapped under the wooden things that humans sat on. He'd had to wait there until he could be rescued. He really didn't like to be laughed at.

The tall man liked being wet but the loud man didn't seem to like it at all. When water flattened the fur on the loud man's head it would make him angry and he would get even louder which would make his human laugh. He really liked his human. They both thought it great fun to make the loud man angry.

As the little cat sat watching trees that moved like live things and water that continued to fall down from the darkened sky, he supposed it was just as well he couldn't be out there. It wasn't dignified to have anyone see him when his fur was wet and flattened. It made him appear smaller and he looked neither beautiful, (as he was usually), nor scary, (as he sometimes was).

Sighing, he laid his head on his paws and wondered when she would appear again. He would stay here to wait for her. He wondered if the water was getting on her and if she liked it or not.

….

Danny sat at his desk while contemplating the man lying in bed on the sixth floor of Queens Hospital. The doctor was probably right about his assessment.

Too many times past, Steve had suffered the painful consequences of running forward rather than more prudently retreating; of advancing when bullets thudded into the earth all around him when he should be seeking cover. And there was, of course, the legendary McGarrett method of pursuing a suspect off the edge of a precipice of some sort; leaping into empty air without knowing if there was safe landing to be had. That was only the short list.

Something had to be done. He had to try approaching him about the subject again and it was definitely not something he looked forward to. He wondered if there were any more of those Ativan pills left in the medicine cabinet. The doc had prescribed them for him after Gracie had been kidnapped that time. Even though they'd gotten her back unharmed, he was a mess for days afterward and they helped to calm him enough to actually sleep. Maybe he'd sneak some into McGarrett's broth and then pop a couple himself before making another attempt to broach the subject. It was a thought.

Earlier when Kono had come back to the office after a brief visit with her boss and Danny had asked how he was doing, she gave him a pointed look.

"Danny, why aren't you going to visit Steve yourself?" she asked

"Too busy here. We're a man down and Denning hasn't acquired any more patience in the last week than he had even before he dumped this case on us and our fearless leader so inconveniently wound up in the hospital."

"Uh huh." she said skeptically. "You know you're going to have to talk to him. Even though he can barely move I think he's already plotting his escape."

"Yeah, we'll see about that." huffed Danny

The three had gathered in their 2IC's somewhat messy office to eat a late lunch. For whatever reason, it felt better than sitting at the table in the breakroom which contained one too many vacant chairs. Cujo, hadn't even bothered to leave his post to join them as he usually would when food was to be begged or extorted as the case may be.

"So, when's Cath gonna be around?" asked the rail-thin Hawaiian as she unwrapped a double cheeseburger with avocado and extra mayo and took a big enthusiastic bite. Danny had no idea where the girl put the food she ingested. She could chow-down with the best of them and not gain a pound.

Kono knew that her boss' not-my-girlfriend wouldn't put up with any of his crap and would be the best one to keep him from getting into any trouble due to boredom. It was obvious to everyone but the two themselves their bond went beyond the girlfriend/boyfriend thing. _Someone_ really needed to declare a more formal arrangement. She suddenly shuddered with a thought: _Oh my God! I'm just like the aunties!_ _Kill me now!_

Ignoring Kono's suddenly stricken look, Danny replied, "Don't know when Catherine will be back but it won't be soon. She tried to get out of duty but it was during one of those exercises where they try to blow imaginary navies out of the water with real ammo. They wouldn't let her go. It seems her captain is about as impressed by the lack of formal declarations as the rest of us. If they were married or even officially betrothed, she said they might go along with her request for emergency leave but, so far, it's a big N.O."

Danny sighed in resignation as he was carefully picking the lettuce out of his burger. No sense pretending a greasy cheeseburger good for you by adding a couple pieces of wilted greenery.

"Well, we gotta do something." said Kono, having shaken off her recent horror, "Steve is finally feeling at least well enough to think about being elsewhere. You know the boss, being in pain is not gonna keep him from making a break for it. I think it's only a matter of time before he starts fashioning ropes out of bed sheets to rappel down the side of the building or something."

"I know." sighed Danny, "If we don't spring him soon, he's gonna do something stupid."

"So, why aren't you two talking with each other?" asked Kono bluntly as, after gobbling up her sandwich in what seemed two bites, she parked her lovely derriere on the corner of Danny's desk. She just didn't have the patience to figure out what the hell is going on _now_ between her two perpetually squabbling teammates. Her cousin's hand had paused in conveying a french-fry toward his mouth as he waited for Danny to come up with an answer. Neither Danny nor Steve had explained why the two of them didn't seem to be speaking with one another.

"It's just the disagreement du jour." dismissed Danny with a wave of a hand. "We'll work it out."

The cousins, had witnessed many of the termed 'disagreements du jour' and knew this one would most likely blow over as well. Whether either would ever admit to it, the two were bonded in blood. This, as had all their other disagreements, no matter how loud or vehement, would eventually go away.

"Well, we'd better finish up and get back to work before Denning calls again about his damned case." announced Danny, "He's not even having Dave check on it for him anymore. Now he's calling personally. He knows we're short-handed but it doesn't seem to impress him much." Danny hated being the big kahuna during the times Steve was absent. He didn't know how the man remained so calm when the bigwigs were breathing down their necks during important cases . . . or even the one they were currently looking into.

After a tired sigh, he picked up his phone and finger poised over button said, "You know, maybe I can talk Denning into something." then hit speed dial for the Governor's office.

…

Visiting hours were over. Chin had left half an hour earlier promising to see him again tomorrow. Steve had thanked him for the magazines, the laptop and the report on Cujo.

Tomorrow morning, he'd Google for information on cat health but the buzzsaw sounded more distracted than ill. Maybe Kono was right about a trip to the vet. Still, it didn't seem right. Guys need to look out for each other.

Danny still hadn't made an appearance which was just as well. He didn't want to talk about it. Hell, he didn't even want to think about it. For years he'd managed not to. It wouldn't help anything. What was in the past should stay there. He'd forgiven them and moved on. Of course he still had to settle that other issue but it had waited for over thirty-five years. There was certainly no hurry now.

He was just about to lose the contest of remaining awake when he heard someone come into the room and glide stealthily toward him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he growled at the figure before his bed.

*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0* Hawaii 5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*

**Hope to update in another week.**


	8. Revelations

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 8

**Thank you to all those who took the time to comment, follow and favorite. Please know that I appreciate any input you'd care to offer.**

**Imaginary Beta is as sharp as ever. Please forgive her.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything but my good intentions.**

*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0* Hawaii 5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*5-0*

Revelations

By the color of the light that came through the clear stuff he knew his humans should be back before the dark came again. He had only to wait for the door to open and with a quick dash he'd be on his way to finding the one who called to him. She'd was out there again but he couldn't get to her. It was more frustrating than catching only the tail of a lizard. Lizards are sneaky . . . and they don't taste that good.

_I can hear her! Her voice makes me feel like when I was inside the big cold box when I was looking for little fishes and the door closed and it was dark inside it. It feels like when I tried to catch the big fish that was where my human put it on the box of fire. I won't do __that__ again._

What a terrible feeling! Her voice made him shiver yet it felt like there was fire inside him. He'd never before felt this way. _How can it be? _thought the confused little cat.

Pacing in front of the door like a miniature puma, Cujo waited for his chance to make his escape. He had to search for the one who called to him; the female whose paws were colored like she'd dipped them in milk and whose fur was like the color of the sky just before the sun went away and the dark came. He wouldn't rest until he found her.

…..

Dave Matsui strode up the walkway to the entry doors. Once again, Denning had sent him to get an update on the stalled case. He was sure everyone at Five-0 cringed when they saw his number pop up on caller I.D. Actually, he was amazed they still answered when he called but it was a bit surprising no one had picked up this time. Of course, they could be working in those parts of the island where cell coverage was iffy. There was also the possibility they were too busy to answer because they were out chasing bad guys as bullets flew but McGarrett wasn't on the job right now so probably not. More likely, as he'd originally thought, they were just avoiding him. Anyway, it was a chance to get out of the office for a while to take a break from his much too impatient boss.

Crossing the palace's ornate lobby and taking the steps upward two at a time, he came to the heavy glass door emblazoned with the Five-0 logo. Denning's predecessor, the late Governor Jameson, had made sure the team was ensconced in some very nice digs; all the wood, glass and granite quite impressive. But Dave knew their current employer was much too thrifty to provide anything this nice no matter how effective the team is. He was also aware that a good part of McGarrett's job, besides fighting crime, was to justify any need for additional equipment or supplies needed to carry out their tasks. Their 'full immunity and means' had been a bit more restricted under the newer administration. Dave had seen the reports and requisitions come across his desk and marveled at just how 'creative' Five-0's leader and his second in command could be.

Pulling open the heavy door; a grey blur streaked past his ankles. _Uh oh!_

….

He lay staring out at the deepening sky visible from his window. Last night's visitor had once again put things into a strange sort of perspective.

He laughed to himself. People, those who didn't know him, always thought he'd had it made. He supposed, in some ways, it _had_ been easy – at least at the beginning of his life. For the most part, John and Doris McGarrett had taken the job of parenting seriously. Their son and daughter had been provided a wonderful place to live and a stable environment; they lacked for nothing within reason. For that brief while, life had been golden - but nothing lasts forever.

Now that he's an adult there were still advantages for which he should be grateful. Aware his appearance usually wasn't a hindrance to getting what he wanted; he knew that Danny liked to say that his partner had won the genetics lottery. Certainly, throughout his life he'd been aware of how women, (and sometimes even men), looked at him. It certainly wasn't anything he'd done or could have controlled but it served him well. Years ago, when he was still unattached, it made it easy to find female company. It even seemed to come in handy now when questioning female witnesses at crime scenes and etcetera. Danny liked to rib him about how much less 'cooperative' these women would have been had anyone else on the team done the questioning.

He was also aware of his own intelligence – another factor over which he had no control even though some people had always told him he was too smart for his own good. They may have had a point. There certainly didn't seem to be a way to stay out of trouble.

He also knows he is strangely driven to somehow prove himself over and over. Taking the most difficult or challenging assignments and hoping he can complete them without anyone, except perhaps himself, having to pay a price. Maybe it wasn't healthy but it had worked in his favor. He couldn't ever just coast; it was antithetical to his nature. He is considered the best of the best at what he'd done and still occasionally does for his country.

When not trapped in a hospital bed as he is at the moment, he runs the Governor of Hawaii's Special Task Force. He has a nice place to live and a beautiful intelligent woman with whom to share it. Strangely, along the way he'd somehow even managed to acquire a cat as well . . . a badass cat at that. This thought made him smile to himself in the darkened room.

He looked around at the four walls that had become way too familiar this last week. Without distractions, it was far too easy to fall back into thoughts that served no purpose other than to depress him. But here he is, no longer the boy who'd been sent away from home at a tender age but a grown man with many accomplishments. Why was he feeling so very lost? Everything he knew about himself had been tossed into the air to land who knows where. The earth beneath him felt no more solid than smoke.

….

She is out here somewhere. Her scent seems to be everywhere. He raised his face to the sky, taking in great draughts of air as he searched for her. What he smelled was better than flowers, better than lizards and mice and little fishes. It made him dizzy. He wasn't going to go back to the place of shiny ground until he found her. He had to find her. He would die if he didn't find her!

He called out into the darkening night. There was no answer. He called again and was answered only by silence and the faint sound of bugs he supposed were calling out to other bugs with maybe a few frogs making noise as well. Hmm frogs; fun to chase, good to eat. He continued his search as his stomach rumbled in hunger. Right now there were more important things than food.

….

Steve was just about to nod off when he heard familiar footsteps. Maybe if he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep Danny would go away.

Fat chance.

"So, umm . . . how you feeling?" was the tired question as he heard Danny sigh then plop into the chair next to the bed. Then, after another few moments and in a stronger and more insistent tone came the words, "Come on Steven I know you're not asleep."

_Crap!_ Giving up the pretense Steve opened one reluctant eye to see the compact detective sitting beside him with arms crossed over chest waiting for acknowledgement of his presence.

Lying silent for another moment before opening both eyes, but still without reply, Steve scrabbled through the blanket beside him to find the controller and pressed the button that tilted the head of the bed to a more upright position. As it rose to an acceptable angle, his breath hitched when the change in position produced sharp discomfort in his hip. He'd had PT for the first time today and a guy who had to be the most sadistic physical therapist on the island had put him through his paces. It was almost like being back in SEAL school as Danny called it. Anyway, when he got back to his room he had welcomed the painkillers and muscle relaxants dispensed by Bambi. She seemed to have taken a special interest in him for some reason. He couldn't explain it and was loathed to admit he actually enjoyed the extra care she lavished on him.

The hitch in breath didn't escape the detective's notice as two shadowed eyes finally glared back at him. He wondered if Steve was actually going to speak or just lay there in silence until his visitor became discouraged and left. After another minute of being regarded with the so called thousand-yard stare, (Danny hated when he did that); the blonde finally smiled at his stubborn partner and with a soft chuckle said, "Look, I'm just gonna sit here until you talk to me so save us some time would yah? And stop with the face. You know, my mom used to tell me that if one makes faces like that, someday it's gonna stay that way and then you'll be sorry."

Steve rolled his eyes and huffed dismissively. In his head he could just hear Stella Williams saying that very thing to her son.

"Alright, alright," huffed the SEAL, "But just know I'd prefer you go away and leave me in peace."

"Yeah, I think I got that message already so . . . moving on . . . how _do_ you feel?" asked the dogged detective.

Exhale signaling resignation Steve replied, "Not too bad right now. They always give me some of the good stuff at night so I can sleep. As a matter of fact, I just got my nighttime dose and will probably drop off here any moment so don't be offended if I . . ."

"Nice try." interrupted Danny, calling his partner on the too obvious bullshit.

McGarrett only raised his eyebrows in reaction. Of course it was bullshit. He'd just hoped it would work and he'd be left in peace

"Look Danny, if you want to bring up _that_ subject again, forget it."

Detective Daniel Williams had a reputation to uphold. He wasn't about to give up. Steve had long called him a terrier crossed with pit bull for a reason and there was too much riding on getting his friend to deal with the issue . . . whatever it is.

"Steven, I know it's not the most comfortable subject and I know you don't think it's anyone's business but your own but it's something that has to be dealt with. Whatever this is, it may be behind your most recent campaign to get cozy with the Great Oneness. It's most certainly part of the cause of 'this' said the detective as he waved vaguely around the hospital room.

"What? Now you're saying I have a death wish?" said McGarrett with a dismissive snort

Danny only looked at his friend like he was addressing a stubborn three-year old before replying, "Steve, you can't keep coming this close time after time. Your doctor is more than a little concerned . . . as am I. Besides, my own health is at risk. I have to keep a full clip in my gun at all times and I'm sure you've driven my blood pressure into the stratosphere with your way too frequent close calls. If you don't want me to wind up in here as well, it's time to talk about this."

Steve only resumed his unwavering stare. This was something he'd put behind him years ago and it was going to stay there. Talking about it would only bring back memories locked up more securely than the Champ box.

Danny, being true to his own nature, persisted, "I mean, we know you're the man of steel and all; but one of these times it's not gonna turn out even as well as your rendezvous with the beer truck that put you in here." Danny smiled wanly before adding, "I know I'm never ever again going to be able to drink a Wailuku lager because of you though you may actually have done their retailers a favor by breaking one of their trucks with your head."

That one actually made the face of stone soften a bit. Steve replied with the barest hint of a smile, "It's swill anyway Danny. Stick to Longboards."

"So, are we gonna sort this issue out? I promise it's just between the two of us. I won't even let the doc know."

"I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

Steve didn't answer. He stared off toward the night darkened windows. Instead of addressing the question he softly said, "Doris came by a couple of hours ago."

Danny waited for him to expand on the statement. After what seemed an inordinately long period of time, he was about to ask why Steve mentioned his mother's visit. In his own experience, it was to be expected that one's mother would visit her injured offspring in the hospital but, you know, we're talking Doris here.

Just as the detective opened his mouth to ask the question, Steve said, "When she came to the office the other day, she asked me to stop poking around in her business."

"Poking around in her business?" asked Danny, already annoyed at the annoying woman who called herself Steve's mother. _So that's the reason Steve's mood headed south so drastically that day._ thought the detective.

"I've been bothered about something for a long time now. I don't know why it's been bugging me so much lately. I mean it's something that's always been at the back of my mind but my life was so busy I never pursued it."

"What are you talking about Steven? What haven't you pursued?"

"You remember when I asked you if you were like your parents?" softly asked McGarrett, eyes not really meeting his friend's as he stared off into the semi-darkened room.

"Yeah, it was kind of an odd question at the time but I gave you an answer. You gonna tell me now why you asked?" Danny leaned forward to place his elbows on his knees; the shift in weight making plastic chair creak in the silence.

The low soft voice continued, "What I really meant was do you think you look like your dad?"

Danny felt a funny kind of thump in his stomach when he realized where this was leading. "You know I do Steven. Again, why are you asking this?"

"You know I don't look much at all like my father. He was sort of stocky and had a lot lighter complexion, eyes, hair color, etcetera."

"Sometimes genetics work out kinda weird Steven you know that. We don't always look like carbon copies of our parents."

"Danny, I know people have told me I have eyes like my dad but they're not the same color or shape so I don't even know what they mean." said Steve, the furrow between his brows becoming more prominent as he intently met his partner's gaze.

Danny thought about it for a moment. He'd only briefly been in contact with the elder McGarrett before the man had been killed. Steve was right, they looked nothing alike. Perhaps people were referring to something more esoteric than physical resemblance.

"Maybe they meant that you have the same intensity and the same . . . I don't know . . . kindness; when you let it show that is. Don't get me wrong Rambo. I think you've got the stare of a grizzly with a sore tooth but, you know, sometimes you slip up and let people know that there's an actual human being inside the steel plate." Danny smiled genuinely for the first time that night.

"Maybe." said Steve his return smile only half-hearted. "Danny, you look like your dad. Chin looked like his dad. Hell, I bet even Kamekona looks like his father."

"Yeah if his father is a cross between a Clydesdale and a mountain gorilla." snorted Danny

"That's a bit unkind." smiled Steve, expression immediately changing to a grimace as he shifted in bed trying to find a more comfortable position for his aching hip.

"Well, you do look like your mom. You guys have the same smile and you're both on the tall side and kind of lean. Does your mom have dark hair? Can't really tell with most women of a _certain age_. They all dye their hair these days. Angie called the other day and happened to mention that mom was thinking of going 'red'. Dear God in heaven I hope she comes to her senses. Anyway, back to your family, I think Mary actually resembles your dad maybe more than your mom. I mean she's much better looking, actually really cute . . . "

Steve interrupted his partner before Danny could wander off course with his opinion of Mary McGarrett's appearance. "I umm, had one of those genetic tests that people do nowadays and umm . . . "

"I thought Max did a DNA analysis already when you wanted to know if you and Wo Fat were related which, thank God, you're not." said Danny who was even more intrigued if that was possible.

"Yeah, that proved I wasn't related to that bastard at least." spat Steve who then paused and chuckled but it had a bitter tone to it. "Guess I can't use that word lightly any more can I?"

When Danny only looked back at him questioningly Steve said without any hint of irony, "Bastard – the word actually has a meaning."

"Steve . . ." began Danny but his partner again cut him off.

"Anyway, I am related to John McGarrett but I'm not his son. There was also a bit of a different racial make-up than would be expected."

This time, Danny waited silently for Steve to continue.

"I asked Doris about it when she was here but she wouldn't give me any answers. She pretended to be offended that I even brought it up. She didn't cover very well for someone who's spent most of her life lying."

"So what do you think this information means?"

"I don't know but I'm sure as hell going to find out."

…

Distracted from his search as his stomach growled at him again, he turned as he heard a rustle from somewhere behind him. Peering into the gloom he saw a flash of white and a darker color. Maybe it was another one of those strange animals that looked sort of like a cat with a big fluffy tail that had sprayed him that one time. It had been horrible. He backed away carefully from where he heard the sound.

The wind shifted and suddenly there was a scent all around him. His skin rippled in reaction to it and he let out a plaintive meow as his pupils expanded until his eyes were pools of shining blackness.

Another soft rustling and the low hanging branches of leaves and flowers parted and there she was. Frozen in a wary stance; her eyes the color of water under bright sun, her fur like the sun itself.

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**Though I look forward to it with every atom of my being, I hope the upcoming episode of show, (5:7), doesn't put this story into an irredeemable universe. Am always teetering on its edge.**

**Please let me know what you think of the direction of this story.**


	9. Bitter and Sweet Mysteries of Life

Cujo IV - The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 9

**Here's a short one with a bit of G-rated puddycat porn, (special thanks to September Joey for inspiring the term).**

** Very much appreciate your readership, reviews, and favoriting. It means a lot to an insecure writer.**

**Imaginary Beta took a shot at it but you she's not to be trusted.**

**Disclaimer: No money was ever made from this strange compulsion to stay up all night and tap madly away at a keyboard.**

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Bitter and Sweet Mysteries of Life

Startling both men, the jarring sound of Danny's cell broke the silence that had descended on the hospital room when Steve had paused in musings on his mysterious parentage. The ringtone wasn't one of the special ones assigned for his daughter or his ex-wife or those on his team.

After a brief hesitation and a look of apology, the detective fished the phone out of his pocket to note the readout identifying one D. Matsui.

"Crap!" exclaimed the blonde trying to decide if he wanted to ignore it. It was late and he was tired and he'd had it up to there with Denning's aide, nice fellow though he is, badgering him for information he didn't have.

Steve looked at him questioningly as Danny rolled his eyes and said, "I'd better get it. It's Dave Matsui . . . again. I've been dodging his calls all afternoon."

Steve nodded in understanding. Just because he was laid up in a hospital bed didn't mean life for his team had come to a halt. He wished once again he could escape this confinement and get his sorry ass back into the game. It wasn't fair to leave Danny and the cousins to carry the entire load. If he couldn't help them in the field, he could at least take care of the paperwork. He never thought he'd be longing for the opportunity to push paper. Must be the drugs.

"Hey Dave." answered the detective, "Sam's got you working late again huh? Sorry man, but tell him we still don't have anything new to give him."

Steve listened to Danny's apology and saw the irritation and frustration displayed on his partner's face but he was good; the feelings didn't carry in his voice. To the person on the other end of the line it was just an apology for not having any more news to give.

"If you couldn't get through to Chin and Kono it's probably because they're working in Waimanalo today. Cell service sucks there most of the time. Me? Just turned my phone back on. Been at the hospital with Steve for a while. Had to fight with his pitbull slash nurse over using it in his room."

The blonde smiled at what had probably been some sort of recognition of the situation and did a quick eye roll at his friend observing from the bed.

"Yeah, you guessed it - Bambi. She's tough but with you-know-who she needs to be. She just left for the night so I turned it back on again. Yeah, he's doing a lot better. I'll tell him hi for you."

Despite being annoyed by his partner saying that Bambi was needed to keep him in line, Steve was impressed by Danny's creativity in coming up with a plausible story for avoiding the Governor's Aide. He watched as the detective's face registered surprise then dismay before composing itself into something more neutral. He knew then that his friend was trying to keep him from finding out whatever Matsui had called about. The detective wasn't the only one who could read his partner well.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. I'll be there in a few minutes." With that, Danny pressed the end button and slipped the phone back into his pocket. Now displaying a look of remorse the blonde said, "Umm, Dave has something else to talk about on Denning's pet case. I have to go. We'll definitely take up this conversation later. You're not alone babe. We'll figure it out."

Though he knew he probably wouldn't get an answer; Steve asked anyway, "What's going on Danny?"

"Just Dave being thorough. He has something on the case he needs to show me in person."

Dark brows quirked up in question

"You know I can't talk about work. Bambi would friggin' shoot me if I did."

"Well, I know there's something going on." said Steve in frustration

"Look," said his partner, "I know I shouldn't even tell you but I'm working on springing you outta here. If you continue to be a good boy and don't try to go over the wall before the doc releases you it will make it easier to do and the sooner you can go home." said Danny in a warning tone but knowing whatever he said would most likely be ignored by the world's most impatient patient.

"Danny, at the rate things are going I won't be back to work until Christmas!"

"You know what I'd give right now for a few days in bed with someone bringing me Jell-O and ice cream on demand? Well, minus the fractured pelvis of course." smiled the detective as he tried to talk Steve into a less agitated frame of mind.

Steve opened his mouth to blast an answer to the question but Danny had already gotten his phone out of his pocket once again and walked toward the door as he waved a goodbye. With the phone clamped to his ear as he hit speed dial, he made his escape.

Steve was left lying in bed with a scowl on his face and more than one mystery to ponder.

…

Danny hurried out the big sliding glass doors at the hospital entrance. _Crap!_ Of course the little piranha would escape on his watch! If Steve were to discover his not-my-pet was on another walkabout the moron would, broken bones or not, go over the wall in a second flat to start the search.

On the third ring, Kono picked up. The cousins were on their way back to H.Q. They'd been spared Dave's pestering because of the spotty cell coverage where they'd been for most of the day. At least that part of the tale he'd told Dave was true. The conversation was still a little broken and garbled but he thought she said there were several messages Dave had left on her phone as well as Chin's and they were just waiting to get a little closer to home before she tried to return his calls.

Danny managed to convey this latest emergency. The cousins would be part of the search party for their AWOL rodent control officer. No matter that no one would dare mess with the rabid little badger; he supposed there were other dangers to worry about like being flattened by traffic and etcetera. Cujo's not-my-owner had already had that unfortunate experience or he'd be the first one out the door on the search. The haole detective cautioned his teammates to not give even a hint of anything being wrong or they'd also have to deal with an AWOL hospital patient as well. Chin and Kono, of course, completely understood the warning. They knew their boss too well.

Danny just hoped Bambi could keep her charge in line until the arrangements were settled.

"Friggin' animals!" muttered Danny in frustration, including both his partner and the cat in the oath. He slammed the Camaro into gear and sped out of the hospital parking lot on his way to organize the search party.

…

_She runs really fast! She runs faster than any mouse or human I've ever chased!_

He dashed after her without even knowing why it was so important to catch her. When he did catch her, what would he do with her?

Before he knew it they were a long way from where they'd started. The trees around them had gone from the little ones he could see from the place of shiny ground to the bigger ones that were much farther away. Though it was dark, the big white ball in the sky made everything bright and shiny almost like the light had come again. The warm air that moved all around him held the scent of so many wonderful and mysterious things but her scent was the one that overwhelmed him. It made him run faster.

Then, he skidded to a halt on the slippery fallen leaves beneath him and froze in place as she suddenly stopped running and turned to look at him. She blinked her eyes and looked as though she was thinking of something really good like fat mice or little fishes. They stayed that way, staring silently at one another, for what seemed a long, long, time as his heart beat strangely faster and faster though he'd stopped running. Her eyes didn't even look grass color right now, they looked huge and black. Then, as though having made up her mind; she lay down and rolled over and over while making the strangest sounds. He realized she was trying to entice him to do something but to do what?

The night seemed to close around them. It felt as though there was only this one other creature and no others and she was so beautiful and she was making those noises and he felt hot and cold all over . . . but now mostly hot.

_What is it that she wants? _ He knows he's smart and tough and he could make humans do pretty much whatever he wanted but why couldn't he figure out this female? Right now, he didn't feel smart; he only felt umm . . . what?

He crept slowly toward her, feeling the heat that seemed to come from her sleek body that had strangely overtaken his own as well. There were lots of things he knew but this is a mystery; one he is about to solve.

…..

An hour long search yielded no small grey cat. Danny, muttering to himself as he and the other searchers tramped through foliage and flower beds looking for what Kono had called their 'peripatetic popoki', was beside himself. _Great! First Rambo winds up in the hurt locker again, we're short-handed and now here we are traipsing across half of the friggin' island looking for that little shithead! If Kono's right and he's just out looking for some Barry White, I'm gonna friggin' fix that little wolverine myself!_

It was now full-on dark and he could hear the voices of Chin and Kono calling out for their missing rodent control officer. Then he recognized more voices calling out the missing animal's name and saw the beams of flashlights coming toward him.

"Hey, Danny." greeted Dave Matsui, who the detective could see was uncharacteristically attired in cut-offs and a T-shirt. Another man, similarly attired walked next to him. "Any sign of Cujo?"

"Nope, have seen neither hide nor hair of the little snake."

"I'm really sorry." said Dave, "It's my fault he got out."

"Don't worry about it. He would've gotten out one way or another. Believe me; he must've taken lessons from Houdini. This isn't the first time he's escaped. Last time he ran into a skunk. I would've thought that would discourage him from tramping around in the 'wilds' again but, like his so-called owner, the little shithead has to learn things the hard way."

Dave swung his flashlight at his companion and Danny was surprised to see Warren standing beside his mate. "Thought I'd bring reinforcements." smiled Matsui

"Hey, Warren, I thought you were still on a ship somewhere in the middle of the Pacific. Thanks for joining the posse."

"My ship's been in port for several days but it's my first night in a week where I don't have duty. Dave said you needed help finding the buzzsaw so thought I'd come along to help search."

"Sorry your night off is going to be spent tramping around in the jungle looking for the furry land shark." said Danny as though the middle of a city of nearly four-hundred-thousand people could be considered a jungle.

"I promised him I'd make up for it later." smirked Dave. Danny, not wanting to go there said, "Umm, why don't you guys take the north side of the state building. We haven't covered it yet."

Dave and Warren gave each other a knowing smile. It was fun to wind-up the blonde detective. As they walked in the direction assigned them, Dave said, "We'll call you if we spot him Danny."

Before the night was over, Malia, Max and even Kamekona, who'd brought a container of shrimp as bait for their wolverine had joined the search but to no avail. The popoki was nowhere to be seen.

At one A.M. Danny called a halt to the search.

"Thanks for coming out to help you guys but we all have to get up in the morning so let's just hope he comes back on his own. Just don't tell McGarrett anything about it yet. If we find him we won't have to and if he gets eaten by wolves or flattened out on the street . . . we'll just have to deal with it then."

The small group straggled dejectedly back to H.Q. The palace was deserted and the parking lot empty except for their own vehicles and a large brightly painted shrimp truck.

"Hey!" suddenly exclaimed Danny, "Where the hell have you been?"

There on the front steps, awaiting someone to open the door to let them in was a small grey cat and sitting demurely next to him was an orange one with white feet.

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**Don't have to tell you that the 100****th**** episode was awesome. Mr. O'Loughlin finally got to show what he could do and it was impressive. Will have to make some adjustments to this story. Despite giving them a cat, some OC's, and resurrecting Malia, I don't want to stray too many miles from canon. Please let me know what you think of this chapter.**


	10. Found and Lost

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 10

**Here's a short one. RL is still kicking me and mine around so haven't had a chance to work on the story. Have become way too familiar with Emergency Rooms the last couple of weeks. I guess it should be considered research?**

**Any errors are those of Imaginary Beta. I'm sure you're already aware she can't be trusted.**

**Disclaimer: No money being made from this. Ever hopeful ninja cat still awaiting that promised mouse ranch that offers room service.**

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Found and Lost

There was someone chasing him! He had to get away! Breath sounding loud in his ears; feet pounding the surface beneath him, he ran through the darkness. There was shouting and screaming then a bright flash, a squeal of tires, and then . . . nothing.

He hadn't had the dream in years but it was still the same one.

Jerking awake and automatically jackknifing in the attempt to sit up; pain prevented him from doing so. He hissed and collapsed back onto the pillow, grimacing with eyes squeezed shut until his body decided to stop its protest of the unwise movement.

_This sucks._

Trying to control his breathing he waited another minute before opening his eyes; cracking them only slightly to search the room. He hoped no one had witnessed his abrupt awakening. He knew Cath was way too familiar with the scenario and, at one time or another, probably every member of his team had been present when he'd come out of anesthesia or whatever to jolt awake, sweaty and breathless after a vivid reliving of the past. It always embarrassed him but he couldn't seem to stop it from happening.

This time, his nightmare wasn't the usual - an op gone wrong or a case gone suddenly sideways. It was the oldest one.

_Can't go there! What's passed is past. _he whispers to himself almost as mantra.

He could easily guess what had triggered it. Number one would be his talk with Doris, (of course), and then there was the whole getting-run-over-by-a-truck thing. He should have been expecting this ancient, if still vivid, nightmare. It was very nearly his oldest memory.

His breathing gradually slowed as did his frantic heart rate. Good thing the cardiac monitor wasn't still attached or there could have been a herd of medical personnel rushing into the room to see if their patient was about to expire. Drying sweat chilling his skin, he pulled the light blanket back over himself and once again lay contemplating the ceiling tiles. It was nearly dark in the room but there was enough light to see the grooves between the squares. _Yup, still 54 of 'em._

….

Danny stood hands on hips staring at the two cats looking so innocently back at him as if nothing was amiss and people hadn't been tramping through the 'wilds' of Honolulu for a good part of the night on a search for one of them. As it turned out, their roving rodent control officer apparently had a companion on his adventure.

The grouped searchers stood facing the palace's steps where the animals calmly perched as in an irritated tone Danny addressed them, "So, you little horn-dog you've finally decided to come back? Who's your friend?"

Cujo sat silently looking what could best be described as smug while the ginger coated feline next to him stared curiously at the man waving his paws and making noises at them. _Should I be worried?_ she wondered.

"Congratulations brah. Looks like you finally got some." said Kamekona with a knowing grin to the male half of the furry duo.

"I'd say he's got a smile on his face." said Chin in concurrence with the shrimp truck mogul.

"She looks happy too." ventured Warren.

Danny only turned to glare at those who'd commented. "Hey, don't encourage him you animals and what the hell are we going to do with another cat? Even one is one too damned many."

The men in the group smirked back at him while the Kono and Malia looked toward one another and rolled their eyes.

"Okay, so who is this and does it have a home?" asked Danny to no one in particular.

"Oh Danny, she looks so sweet." cooed Kono

"I don't care how sweet this thing is, it's not coming to live here." exclaimed the blonde, his face creasing in a disapproving frown.

"You should take her to see if she's micro-chipped." suggested Warren.

"Micro-chipped?" asked Kamekona as he lumbered forward to get a better look at the sleek red tabby, "Is she a spy or someting? If dats true, den da new popoki will fit right in with you guys and da big kahuna."

Danny frowned even more. He wasn't quite sure if the big man was joking or not.

Seeing his opportunity to educate, Max explained in his pedantic and oddly cadenced way, "Micro-chipping is a way to . . . track . . . lost animals if they are remanded to a shelter or veterinarian by someone . . . who may discover them wandering unattended and cannot . . . identify an owner. It's actually a very efficient tool."

"Yeah, I guess." said Danny, "Last time Cujo went on an unauthorized stroll Steve had him micro-chipped just in case he got out again. Now it's impossible for me to get rid of the little shithead by dumping him off in the middle of nowhere without worrying someone's going to bring him back again. He's like a bad penny . . . a _really_ bad penny."

"Oh, come on Danny" teased Kono, "You were worried about Cujo. You're the one who organized this search party".

"That's only because the Cat Lady would blow a gasket if his fur covered piranha disappeared. Since it happened while I had the helm," (Danny silently congratulated himself for his clever naval reference), "he'd probably have me court-martialed or force me to walk the plank or something. It was only in the interest of self-preservation that I even bothered to look for Rambo's weapon of mass destruction." defended the detective

"Uh huh" responded at least half of the people standing there, (a_ll_ of them snickered in disbelief).

"Come on then." ordered Danny as he ascended the steps to the front door. The felines only looked at him blankly and didn't budge.

Rolling his eyes, the blonde said, "If it pleases your highnesses, get your mangy little asses inside before I drop-kick you furry footballs." After what seemed a long moment of consideration, the two cats finally turned as one to trot haughtily past him as if he was their doorman.

As the regal couple ascended the stairs to H.Q., humans following in their wake like loyal courtiers, Danny called after Cujo, "Just so you know, you horny fence rabbit, she's not staying!"

…..

"_Stevie, you still somehow expect the world to make sense . . . and it doesn't. It never will. You still think there's some sort of big plan where everything is going to fit together like pieces of a giant puzzle and right and wrong are so easy to determine."_

He needed to think about something else . . . anything else rather than his disturbing conversation with Doris. His mind paged through the most recent events he'd observed and stopped at Danny's phone conversation with Dave.

He wondered what his 2-IC was up to. Having learned to trust his instincts, (well except about Doris); that mysterious call had put him on alert. He was certain there was something his partner was trying to keep hidden from him. Danny had apparently joined the club along with his mother and his mentor and God only knows who else were trying to deceive him.

In the morning maybe he'd try calling Kono. In some ways she was perhaps even more observant than Danny of the general goings on in the unit. He knew Cath would kill him if he ever mentioned 'women's intuition' but the island girl was pretty good at sussing out things people were trying to hide. She had a real talent for it.

She was also the most likely to spill. Chin, damn him, was just unreadable and Danny, at least at the moment, was being tightlipped. He actually smiled at thinking of his garrulous partner as being unwilling to talk. Usually, if it was in Danny's head it was out his mouth. The man had no censor button and could be uncomfortably direct. Steve had always thought it one of his friend's best qualities . . . well, most of the time anyway.

Breath hitching as he leaned toward the side table since it necessitated actually moving part of his body; he reached carefully toward his cell phone. Bambi had charged it for him. She was probably worried it would make him even more likely to escape if he couldn't at least feel somehow in touch with his team. He still wondered why she was being so nice - not that she _couldn't_ be.

Last time he'd been laid-up here at Queens she'd actually driven him to visit Cujo at the vet hospital. Both he and his not-my-pet had managed somehow to wind up in the hospital at the same time: he due to a wacked-out serial killer and a large china cabinet, (long story), and Cujo due to an overly zealous pursuit of the same guy.

Groaning loudly he stretched further toward his phone. He'd almost reached it when someone came into the room. Thinking it was only Bambi making her rounds he didn't look up. It was almost time for his caregiver's final night check before she ended her shift to administer the meds that would allow him to sleep.

"Steve? Do you need some help?" he heard in soft greeting.

…

**Hope you all had a great Turkey Day and have now recovered from your food coma.**

**Revelations to come in next chapter. Please let me know what you think of this one.**


	11. Questions Outnumbering Answers

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 11

**Here we are again. Not as much revealed in this as planned but it's coming. Thank you so much for your comments, follows and favorites. Imaginary Beta says she's getting tired of cleaning up my errors. Wait, isn't that her job?**

**Disclaimer: If I had made money from this I wouldn't have to be worried about the 'naughty or nice' thing. I could just buy my own darned presents. Always wanted to tell that annoyingly jolly guy with the white beard and the reindeer to take a hike. He's consistently ignored my requests to leave a tall handsome, tattooed, man under the tree on Christmas morning.**

**Note: Please see the AN's at end of chapter**

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Questions Outnumbering Answers

The tall man with the shaved head walked further into the night darkened room and picked up the cell phone the man in the bed was straining toward. He handed it to Steve who winced as he relaxed back onto the bed.

"So, you rang?" asked Joe White.

"Yeah, Joe, about a week ago." bit out the SEAL

"Had I known you'd managed to wind up in the hurt locker again, I'd have been here sooner."

"So, it requires me to wind up in the hospital before you'll acknowledge my requests to speak with you?" asked McGarrett skeptically.

Joe only smiled at him in his maddening way. He didn't seem the least bit perturbed regarding his lack of response to Steve's many calls requesting a meeting.

Now Steve knew how his partner felt after asking a question about a classified subject only to be given the same non-verbal response. It was irritating at the very least.

"So, what's the damage this time?" asked Joe, pulling up the semi-comfortable chair a bit closer to the edge of the bed and easing himself into it with a quiet sigh.

"We're not here to talk about me." said Steve coolly.

"Well, I'd like to know what's going on with you in case you get the vapors or anything during our conversation." smiled Joe.

Steve snorted in annoyance at his former mentor. The man was impossible to read. He sat there with a serene smile and repeated the question, "So what landed you here this time?"

"A beer truck." snapped Steve. When he was rewarded with Joe's face registering actual surprise he added, "I got hit by a truck during a chase. Just bruises and a couple cracked bones I'll live." he exclaimed in annoyance.

"Uh huh." acknowledged the shiny domed man as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Seems to be some sort of pattern here."

Joe may be right but he didn't think the man was referring only to this most recent event. After another moment of staring at each other Steve began, "I didn't ask to talk to you because I was planning on winding up in the hospital. I want to know about Doris."

"What is it you want to know? I thought you'd already spoken with her." calmly asked his former mentor, giving absolutely nothing away. His cool blue eyes evaluated the man in the bed as he leaned back in the chair; arms still folded over his chest.

"I want to know what or _who_ she was doing nine months before I was born." said Steve in a tone that conveyed not the slightest hint of warmth toward neither the man before him nor Doris. Who's my father Joe?"

Joe didn't look the least bit surprised by the question. He knew it was coming and _had been_ for thirty-seven years. "That's something your mother has to answer. It's not mine to tell."

"I deserve to know dammit!" ground out Steve, "I know you protect her and always have. I know you kept her secrets from me and that you're probably more than just someone who looks out for her. I'm actually surprised it isn't you!"

This time Joe's eyes flickered just a bit. The stone wall of inscrutability subtly crumbled just a bit, for just a micro-second. Joe thinned his already thin lips before replying, "I wish I _had_ been your dad." he said with a hint of sadness, "I would have been proud to be your father."

Steve was slightly taken aback by Joe's admission, losing a bit of his focus; but steeling himself once again he reiterated his question, "Who's my father Joe?"

…

"I can't take it anymore!" exclaimed the detective as a screech reverberated through the office.

"It is kind of difficult to ignore." agreed Chin as he took another sip of his early morning coffee. Owing to the late night hunt for their rodent control officer; the caffeine could be considered medicinal at this hour.

The sounds that had emanated from Steve's office were . . . umm . . . startling. Cujo and his new lady friend had spent the night there. Sort of a 'honeymoon suite' Kono had called it. The fact that it had been created in their leader's office was Danny's idea – passive/aggressive to be sure - but it worked for him.

"Okay, who's gonna take her to the vet to see if she's micro-chipped?" asked the blonde wincing once again as the horrific sound of mating felines rent the early morning quiet of the office.

_Why do cats have to make so damned much noise when doing it? _thought the now totally annoyed Jersey detective; his annoyance growing incrementally with each new screech or howl. It sent his mind back to earlier days. _ It's almost like being back in Newark before Rachel and I bought our house when she got pregnant and we still lived in an apartment. The walls of that duplex were way too thin. That girl next door could have given Cujo and his lady-friend a run for their Friskies in the noise department . . . and she was apparently quite popular. Ah, the good ol' days._

Chin, ever the practical one, interrupted his thoughts, ""First, we have to separate them." he reminded, "and I'm not gonna get between Cujo and his umm . . . friend."

"Yeah brah" agreed his cousin. "Getting between Cujo and something he wants is _so_ not a good idea."

"Wusses." commented the blonde whose sleep bleared eyes glanced apprehensively toward the source of their concern as the noises again spat across the office.

"No, just not suicidal." said Chin as he took another sip of coffee.

"Eventually, we're gonna have to give them more food and water and scoop that litter box." said Kono as she, rather than taking her usual dainty bite of her pastry, stuffed the whole thing into her mouth at once; stress prompting her consume it in a less than ladylike manner.

"I'm willing to throw provisions in the door before I run like hell but let the little sex-fiends use Steve's desk to take care of business if they want to." snorted Danny who still held a grudge against his partner for laughing when Cujo had peed on his desk as some sort of kitty protest. Since then, no matter what cleaning product he'd tried, the smell wouldn't come out of his leather blotter. _ Someone_ has to pay and since offing their rodent control officer would be frowned upon, it may as well be the Cat Lady.

"Brah, do you really want to deal with Steve going all OCD about his trashed office?" asked Kono as she again reached into the bag of malasadas Danny had shown up with that morning.

"Yeah, it won't be pretty and if you think cats can make unpleasant noises . . ." reminded Chin.

"As I said, who is volunteering to take that little tramp to the vet? The sooner we find out who she belongs to the sooner she's outta here." groused their haole.

Kono smiled. Danny wasn't yet aware his first line of defense had already crumbled like a milk-dunked Oreo. He was admitting the new cat could stay until they found out who she belonged to rather than take her directly to the local animal shelter as he'd threatened last night. _ What should we name her? _wondered Kono* as her phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the caller I.D.

Speak of the OCD devil.

….

Bambi sat at her kitchen table contemplating the offer from Detective Williams. Of course it would be financially advantageous to accept it. It would also let her keep an eye on her favorite patient who had the annoying penchant for not following his doctor's orders to lie still and recuperate.

Despite the need to keep her patients at an emotional distance, she'd become way too fond of the leader of the Governor's special task force. He was so much like her Benjamin. McGarrett seemed to help fill that aching void left behind when Benny, her only child, had . . . gone. They were so much alike; not only just the physical resemblances: dark hair, tall, handsome . . . but the other things as well. Months ago during another stint as the Commander's caregiver she'd realized _they have the same smile,_ when, after several days, it had finally appeared. Now, she longed to see it more often and when tending to her patient was engaged in trying to make that happen. She mumbled to herself, "I've sure gone soft in my old age".

As she sat in her quiet, sun drenched, kitchen and sipped her coffee before getting ready to leave she thought more about this latest project. She'd met the man's mother and didn't get the feeling Mrs. McGarrett and her son were that close or that the woman was all that motherly. It's no wonder the poor guy has issues. She'd observed him waking from nightmares and could tell they weren't _all_ job related.

Picking up the detective's card she'd set next to her coffee cup, she stood and reached toward the land line on the kitchen counter.

…

Kono had been evasive. _And what was that horrible noise in the background?_ Frustrated, he tossed the phone back onto the rolling table and made his decision.

_Today is the day I'm breaking outta here!_

Pain or no pain, he was going over the wall. Bambi wasn't due to be on duty for another couple of hours and the day nurse had already checked in on her restless patient. Now was his chance. Throwing back the covers and cautiously maneuvering his legs off the bed, he sat at its edge breathing deeply as he waited for the stabs of pain in his hip to recede before attempting to stand. They'd finally let him out of bed long enough to shower, even if it had to be done while sitting on the shower bench and had strangely tired him; he felt somehow energized by the effort. Enough energy to make a break for it.

That sound in the background during his conversation with Kono had sounded suspiciously like a cat yowling. It didn't sound like his cat but there shouldn't be another cat around the office. He thought Kono said she was at H.Q. Maybe she'd answered from somewhere else? They were definitely hiding something from him. Anyway, besides needing to go check on Cujo, he had some research to get to.

He definitely had places to go and things to do. Joe's visit hadn't been all that unproductive after all. Whether Doris liked it or not, he now he at least had leads to investigate. When he'd seen her last, she'd acted insulted he'd even brought up the subject but it was just that – an act. He'd grown weary of her deceitful ways and hadn't fallen for it. Those days were long over.

He'd grown weary of people hiding things from him. He knew Danny called him paranoid but there was a reason for it. He was going to get to the bottom of this once and for all. No more lies.

The light coming in through the window had taken on a golden hue as the city outside woke for the day. The foot traffic noise from the hallway, people and rolling carts, had grown louder and he'd have to move before someone came to check on him or bring breakfast – if that's what one could call it. If he never saw another cup of Jell-O again, he'd be a happy man.

Taking a tentative step, he gritted his teeth and tried not to groan aloud. Keeping hold of the bed frame for as long as he could, he slowly and carefully made his way toward the closet a few feet away. At his request, his team, albeit reluctantly, had brought him clean clothing. He knew the crutches were there as well – the ones they didn't yet want him to use. Bambi had taken the walker out of his room and stowed it elsewhere. She remembered his M.O. from last time and forbade him to rove unsupervised into the hallways. It was humiliating to be so restricted and closely watched. Whether he had his doctor's permission or not, he was outta here today.

Unbeknownst to him, his team had actually discussed the issue of bringing him clothing. They'd remembered the last couple of times their leader had been hospitalized and knew that being dressed in street clothes was only going to fuel his desire to be elsewhere. Danny had remarked that, by this time, after being cooped up for so long, Steve would be willing to escape in his birthday suit. The cousins agreed but, in the end had felt sorry for their leader and relented. After all, what harm could it do? Bambi watches him like a hawk and Steve can barely move. All of the stuff their leader was wearing when he'd been hit by the truck had been ruined when the wet clothing was cut off his body by ER personnel. His boots couldn't be located after being hastily tossed aside while he was tended to but, just in case, they wouldn't bring him any footwear yet.

Hurting and pretty much out of breath when he'd reached the closet only a few feet away; he rested a moment with his forehead against the cupboard and hand on its door before pulling it open. Pleased to find the set of sweats hanging from a hook inside it along with a clear plastic bag containing his boots he grabbed them. With clothing and footgear tucked awkwardly under one arm and dragging the pair of crutches he made his way back to the bed where he lowered himself onto it with a suppressed groan. After another brief rest to wait for the pain in his hip to subside, he laid out the navy blue sweats onto the bed in preparation for his next challenge. Gritting his teeth he began the process of donning his clothing. It was getting late and he had to hurry now.

Grateful for their foresight, someone had wisely intuited the ties at the waist made the knit pants adjustable enough so there wouldn't be any undue pressure on his hip bone.

He even had footwear this time. They were the only things that had survived intact after every stitch of clothing had apparently been cut off when he'd been brought in to the Emergency Room. An orderly had dropped the boots off yesterday after they'd been located on a shelf in the ER department. His name and patient number had been labeled onto the bag into which they been stuffed. No one had looked in the closet since then. If they'd intentionally given him back his footwear, he was pretty sure it was only because they felt he wouldn't be in good enough shape to walk anywhere.

_Fools._

Getting dressed was harder than he'd thought it would be. Bending far enough to actually pull up the baggy sweats was painful and left him sweaty and panting. Muttering a steady stream of curses his goal was finally reached. He was clothed. Now for the boots.

Managing to get the right one on he steeled himself for the attempt to don the left one. After several more minutes and two stops to rest it was finally declared a failed mission.

_Fuck it!_ _One boot will have to do._

Now sweaty and shaking he was about to turn away from the bed to make his way toward the door. From behind him he heard the chilling words: "Going somewhere Commander?"

_Crap!_

…

Chin had drawn the short straw. It was his job to enter the honeymoon suite and snatch up the newcomer. Easy, right?

Since being sequestered in Steve's office the two animals hadn't been disturbed and their office guard cat had apparently become quite territorial with his lady. As Flower Cloth Man opened the door Cujo growled at him.

_Leave my female alone!_ warned the furry piranha

"Easy there big guy, we're only going to see if your lady friend has a home. I'm not going to hurt her."

With an angry howl, the little grey cat launched himself at the intruder to defend his female. _No one is going to take her away!_

"No! Ow!" yelled Chin as needle sharp fangs found their way into the flesh at his ankle as Cujo struck like a snake.

"A little help here!" he yelled to his teammates as he tried to dislodge the animal now clinging to the leg of his jeans and clawing its way upward. Their rodent control officer had declared war.

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***I've been thinking of naming the new kitty Elizabeth, (or Lizzy), after the very dignified and late lamented ninja cat. Let me know if you approve or if you have any suggestions for naming this new popoki. Would love to hear what you guys come up with.**


	12. Busted

Cujo IV – The Fence Rabbit Rises

Chapter 12

**Just another short one to keep it going.**

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Busted

"Going somewhere Commander?"

Wincing, he turned to see Bambi, hands on hips, glaring at him. The eyes that pin him are so light they're nearly colorless. Steve's thought is that it's like looking through a pane of glass; the window through which one could gaze upon their own doom.

"What is it that makes you think you can just walk, or make that _hobble_, out of here?" she asked in an eerily calm voice

Though the question was most likely rhetorical, he tried to come up with a plausible answer anyway, "Uhh . . . " began the man on crutches who held a boot lace clamped in his teeth; the dangling boot swinging back and forth like a pendulum and nearly upsetting his precarious balance as he leaned on the crutches. "I umm . . ." he continued.

"Never mind," she huffed, then added an eye roll for good measure, "I don't suppose you can be all that eloquent at the moment. Here, give me that." she demanded as though taking a chewed-up sock from a misbehaving puppy.

He let the bootlace slip out of his teeth as she tugged it from him then hung his head in defeat as he awaited the chastisement he knew was coming.

_This sucks . . . cosmically!_

….

The strategy hurriedly decided upon before Cujo could claw his way further up the hapless Chin's leg: 1. Danny is to provide distraction so the small but fierce feline would release his prey. 2. If the cat decided to chase him, Kono would rush in to grab the female. 3. Danny would run for his life.

If the hastily hatched plan didn't work and Cujo didn't release Chin, well, it's gonna get complicated and possibly bloodier . . . much bloodier.

As Danny rushed into the office/love nest, he could see Cujo had now clawed his way from Chin's calf to his thigh and was about to sink his needle sharp talons into a very tender area of the man's body. From his own experience a couple of years earlier, he knew it would be quite painful if the cat managed to reach further upward.

"Hey you little shithead!" he yelled waving his arms about to make sure Cujo looked up from his current mission of destruction. "How about you let the man go and pick on someone else huh? You know," said Danny trying not to look at the agonized face of his co-worker; the one whose hand was locked on the scruff of the animal trying to kill him, "I like my ladies sort of small and covered in fur and umm . . . orange."

Cujo's mock rival leaned toward the ginger cat who sat atop Steve's desk, curiously staring at this loud human who'd suddenly burst in.

"Well, you gonna do something about it Romeo?!" challenged Danny as he took an exaggerated step in the red tabby's direction.

Chin whose normally inexpressive face currently displayed pain and near terror tried not to yelp as another needle sharp claw found its way through the thick denim of his jeans into the tender skin on the inside of his upper thigh.

Despite this new threat to territory and paramour, Cujo remained clinging to his victim's leg; apparently trying to decide if he should abandon his attack and go after this additional intruder.

_The humans are where they shouldn't be! I'll make sure they won't come back!_ growled Cujo around his mouthful of fabric and flesh_. She is __my__ female!_

The detective took another wary step toward the furry lothario's object of affection who sat calmly observing her lover's ferocious defense of his turf. She didn't look alarmed, just interested in how things were going to play out.

Having made a decision, Cujo abruptly abandoned his assault on the man into whom he'd sunk claws and teeth and, with an enraged howl, charged after the detective now turning to hot-foot it down the hallway.

Chin, having been released from the clutches of Satan's henchcat, dashed out the door and in the opposite direction. Achieving the safety of his office he slammed his door shut. Hissing in pain he unfastened his belt to lower his jeans to assess the damage – really painful damage - if not to his body then certainly to his dignity.

Kono, who'd been watching the rescue op from the office across the hallway, now had opportunity to rush in and grab the female. "Come on girlfriend, we're getting out of here before your date comes back to reclaim his territory." announced the fast moving woman as she grabbed the cat and ran. The tabby's only reaction to being so abruptly snatched-up and spirited off was to squeak in surprise as she was lifted from the desk.

Kono could hear Cujo threatening mayhem from somewhere down the hallway. As she hurried across the main room she spotted Chin in his office; standing in his boxers with his Levis around his ankles. Thin trails of blood ran from several places on calf and thigh where skin had been punctured by claws and teeth.

_Holy crap!_ thought Kono as she fled toward the exit.

Per their hastily revised plan, she would phone Danny and Chin when she was safely outside with the cat to check if they were still alive and what shape they might be in. So far as she was aware, only Chin had sacrificed himself for the op. Though she knew Danny had become expert at avoiding a mauling and had recently come to some sort of truce with their rodent control officer, there was still concern for his safety.

The cat she held was actually purring now and rubbing her head against her. The sleek feline began to emit trilling little meows as she squirmed in her captor's arms.

"Uh uh popoki. I don't have what you're looking for." exclaimed the Hawaiian, "You're in heat and that's how Cujo got you to go off with him to his den of iniquity, isn't it?" The cat mewed back at her as if confirming her statement.

Kono continued the only sort of one-sided conversation as they hurried across the palace's parking lot. "You know, I had a roommate once who sometimes suffered from the same condition. It was freakin' scary. You wouldn't believe what she dragged home." This time, when the cat meowed up at her it might have sounded disappointed.

Kono opened the back of the SUV and took out the carrier she'd placed there earlier when they'd hatched their original plan – the one which hadn't detailed the part where Chin would wind up hamburger.

The cat didn't protest when she was put into it. A far cry from their rodent control officer, this animal was quite docile. Cujo practically had be darted with tranquilizers before they could even attempt to stuff him into a pet carrier – sort of like getting Steve into an ambulance to go to the ER - if he was still conscious. They'd finally resorted to just transporting the cat in a canvas sack for vet visits but Steve was the only one fast enough, or brave enough, to trap him in it. Now that she thought of it, too bad they couldn't use the same technique on their stubborn leader.

The cat now safely ensconced in the carrier, Kono belted it into the passenger seat then took her phone out to press speed dial for Chin. He picked up on the second ring.

Before she even had a chance to ask him his condition the normally stoic Chin declared, "He fucking shredded me!"

_So much for Cuz's zen-like_ _composure,_ she thought

"Do you need to go to the ER?" she asked, her concern overriding her notice of the uncharacteristic use of the F-bomb; something she'd rarely heard from Chin though Steve and Danny had no problem using it.

"Nah, I don't think so . . . well, maybe. He sank his fangs into my ankle pretty good, the rest are just mostly gouges. They hurt like hell though. Now I know how Danny felt when Cujo wrecked him at the hospital that time. I'm sorry I laughed."

"Can Danny take you to see the doc?" she asked

"I don't know. Last I saw he was high-tailing it for his office with the buzzsaw right behind him. I can hear Cujo cussing him out in the hallway. He's probably got our haole trapped. I think you might have to send SWAT."

Kono could hear a faint hint of seriousness in her cousin's voice but she didn't really think they'd have to call in reinforcements. Eventually, Cujo would calm down . . . right?

Phone to her ear as she slid behind the wheel, she said, "Cuz, now might be your chance to run while Cujo's distracted trying to eat Danny. Make a break for it and meet me outside and I'll take you to the ER."

"We'll be abandoning Danny." reminded Chin though, at this point, he'd have been willing to abandon a mob of whimpering orphans.

"He's dealt with Cujo before. He can handle it. I'll let him know what we're doing." Ending the call, she hit speed dial for Danny who picked up immediately.

"Brah, you still in one piece?" she asked

"Yeah, but I've got a psychotic badger parading back and forth in front of my door and swearing like a sailor. Quite the cat vocabulary I gather. Steve would be proud."

"Yeah, it sounded like our popoki's been taking lessons from the boss." she laughed

"He hasn't even gone back to Rambo's office yet to find out we've made off with the girlfriend. You did get her, right?" asked Danny

"Yeah, she's sitting here next to me in the carrier. I'm just waiting for Chin. I've gotta take him to the ER. Cujo chewed him up pretty good."

"Why do we even keep that little shithead?" asked Danny, "We've all become as crazy as the Cat Lady and believe me, the man's friggin' certifiable."

"Chin would sooo probably agree with you right now." she chuckled, "Here he comes." Kono watched as her cousin came limping down the steps, his face scrunched in pain. "You okay for the moment Danny? You want us to send in reinforcements? Chin suggested a SWAT team." she said only half in jest.

"Nah, I'm good for now. Just waiting for El Gato del Diablo to go back to Steve's office so I can trap him in there. Just don't be surprised if the little shithead is belly-up when you get back here. I'd be doing Hawaii a favor. Rambo so owes us for this and, believe me, I'm going to collect."

"Okay brah, be careful. We'll see you after I drop Cuz off at the ER and her highness at the vet then go back for Chin. Good luck."

The wounded man had just climbed into the seat behind her, hissing in pain as he settled in and fastened his seatbelt.

She looked back over her shoulder at him. "Just drive." he groaned

…..

"I guess, it's lucky I decided to visit you to tell you the good news." said Bambi as she took the crutches from him and leaned them next to the chair on which now sat his lone boot.

"Good news?" he asked, wincing as he adjusted his seat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes. You'll be happy to know you're going to be released to go home today." she announced, watching as her patient's face transformed into a delighted smile. It was like watching the sun come up. It _almost_ made her smile back.

"Great! Do you have the papers with you so I can sign them?" he asked

"Not so fast Steven. There are provisions to this arrangement. A couple things you have to agree to first."

"Of course." he muttered, the joy of anticipated freedom becoming suddenly dampened.

"First, you have to know that I'm going home with you." she announced

"What!" he yelped voice and eyebrows rising

"Second, the governor says, I quote, 'If McGarrett behaves himself and doesn't do anything to put his health in danger, in a few days, with doctor's clearance, I'll allow him behind a desk. He can be go back to work in a limited capacity – very limited but, if he wants to keep his job he'll have to cooperate with his caregivers; meaning specifically you."

"But . . . " began McGarrett

"Uh uh, no opposition allowed if you really want to get out of here today." she admonished; feeling right about the plan but bad for her patient. From the talks she'd had with her late son, she knew how hard it was for normally active, (or hyperactive), men to be so restricted. She understood and really felt for the poor guy but this was the way to help him get out of here and get back to work.

McGarrett, face now reflecting the expected reaction to the provisos of his release from his medical prison, let go a pent up breath and sagged in defeat. "Fine." he muttered

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End file.
